#Cassie L. Bond

[sognareleggiesogna]

REVIEW TOUR: Dove bruciano gli oceani di Cassie L. Bond

Cari Sognatori, Lily ha letto il primo volume della fantasy serie Dove bruciano gli oceani, scritta da Cassie L. Bond e pubblicata dalla Heartbeat Edizioni !!! SERIE: Dove bruciano gli oceani series GENERE: Fantasy DATA DI PUBBLICAZIONE: 18 ottobre 2024 EBOOK/ CARTACEO Affiliati Amazon Con queste tre virtù, risorgeremo. Con queste tre virtù, conquisteremo. Verità. Onore. Sangue. Per il mio…

[beestriker015]

Cassandra Cain x male vigilante s/o

S/o and Cassandra first met on a rainy night in Gotham when she spotted him confronting a group of thugs who broke into a jewelry store during one of her patrols.

Reading s/o’s body movement, Cassandra could tell he had no intentions of killing the criminals, so she just watched quietly as he took them out effortlessly one by one.

After taking out the thugs, s/o locks eyes with Cassandra as police sirens are heard in the distance.

No words are exchanged between the two as s/o leaves the scene, Cassandra deciding to get some information about him from Oracle later on due to her curiosity.

“I did some research on that guy you saw, his name is s/o, a relatively new hero that’s been making things a lot easier for Gotham’s police by dealing with the increase of crime that’s been happening lately. Why are you so curious about him anyway Cass?”

“Don’t know.”

She says simply, which the previous Batgirl doesn’t question.

After their initial meeting, s/o and Cassandra had run ins with each other quite often since then, the two even working together on several occasions.

During their latest encounter, s/o speaks to her for the first time.

“Judging by your costume, you must work with Batman right?”

She simply nods as he smiles.

“Thought so. He’s the best hero this city has, despite what some talking heads on tv might say. I’ve seen you in action Batgirl, and you’re pretty damn awesome.”

Cassandra blushes slightly from s/o’s words, not that he can tell because of her mask.

“Well, I look forward to seeing you again.”

S/o goes to leave but Cassandra grabs his hand and does her best to speak.

“No! Come.”

Understanding what she means, s/o follows her as she brings him to Batman, causing him to get a bit starstruck upon meeting the Dark Knight.

“I’ve been keeping tabs on you for quite a while s/o. I want you and Batgirl to be partners.

He says, shocking the two adolescent vigilantes.

“Really?! I’ve never worked with anyone before, but I guess I wouldn’t mind that, how about you Batgirl?”

She gives a curt nod, hiding her excitement extremely well.

“Good. I think you both will work well together.”

What the two don’t know is that this whole thing was Oracle’s idea because she knew Cassandra has a crush on s/o.

Now officially partners, s/o and Cassandra began developing a close bond, even leading to her showing him her face for the first time.

“W-wow, you’re so…beautiful.”

S/o says with a blush, causing his partner’s face to heat up as well.

“T-that…nice.”

She says as the two awkwardly turn away from each other before resuming the task that Batman gave them.

Very shortly after becoming partners, the two quickly formed a friendship and do things outside of crime fighting, including watching movies, practicing martial arts, and just doing regular teenager things.

S/o even helped Oracle with teaching Cassandra how to speak verbally while being incredibly understanding and patient with her, causing the girl’s crush on him to grow even more.

In return, Cassandra does her best to try teaching s/o how to read people’s movements like she does, the key word there being ‘try’, but s/o manages to learn at least a few things nonetheless.

Not wanting Cassandra to be deprived of a normal teenage life, Oracle convinced her to tell s/o how she feels about him.

“I’ve seen the way he looks at you, I can tell he feels the same way about you Cassie, so don’t worry and just confess.”

Trusting her friend’s judgment, she tells s/o her feelings while on patrol with him.

“Hey.”

She mutters, catching s/o’s attention.

“What’s up Cass?”

Trying to formulate the right words to say, Cassandra looks at her crush before eventually speaking.

“S/o. L-love you.”

She tells him while making a heart shape with her hands to help s/o fully understand what she’s trying to express, which he thankfully does and proceeds to give her a warm smile.

“Cassie, I love you too, and I have for a while now.”

Overcome with happiness, she pulls him into a deep kiss, thus marking the beginning of her and s/o being a couple.

Now dating, not much has honestly changed between Cassandra and s/o, since they were already extremely close.

The only difference might be they’re both much more affectionate with each other.

Cassandra is incredibly touch starved due to her past, but luckily she has a boyfriend who will give her all the hugs, kisses, and words of affirmation that she deserves.

As a crime fighting duo, s/o and Cassandra will always have their lover’s back and won’t allow anyone to lay a hand on the other.

Upon learning about what Cassandra’s father David Cain put her through, s/o developed a seething hatred of the assassin.

“That evil bastard! I swear I have half a mind to hunt him down and-”

“No. Please.”

Cassandra looks at her boyfriend with pleading eyes.

“What?! But why?”

“He’ll kill you.”

She gently grabs s/o’s hands and shakes her head.

“If I lost you, life….lose meaning. Love you so….so much s/o”

She says while struggling to get the words out, causing s/o to calm down as he feels really touched by his girlfriend’s words.

“I love you too my beautiful bat, and as cheesy as it may sound, my life would be meaningless without you in it too.”

The two embrace, unaware Batman was listening in on them with an ever so small smile on his face.

While jealousy is pretty much nonexistent for s/o because he knows his girlfriend would never cheat due to her fierce loyalty to her loved ones, the same can’t be said for her.

Not that Cassandra doesn’t trust s/o, it’s just that she worries he might leave her one day for a girl he can actually have a conversation with, though s/o always tries to ease his girlfriend’s fears every time she gets jealous.

“Cass, there is no one I want to be with other than you. I love you for who you are, and that’s never going to change.”

Despite this, s/o can’t help but find it adorable whenever a girl approaches him and his girlfriend just hugs him tightly while uttering a single word.

“Mine.”

Cassandra’s best friend is Spoiler, who is the biggest supporter of her and s/o’s relationship.

“You too are so cute together! I wish I had a boyfriend like s/o. This may be a little out of left field, but would you mind sharing him with me Cass?”

She teases and jokes as the two’s faces turn beat red, causing her to laugh even more.

“Hah! I’m just messing with you guys! Seriously though, you make a great couple!”

“Thanks/thank you Stephanie.”

Both teens say to her with crimson blushes still present on their faces.

In the event s/o ever got hurt while fighting a villain, not even Batman can stop her from beating them to the point of near death.

“Batgirl! Stop!”

She does so just a moment away from delivering the killing blow, much to her shock and horror.

“N-no…”

Tears flow from her eyes as s/o embraces her and comforts her despite his injuries.

“Shh. It’s ok. You didn’t mean to go this far. You didn’t kill them, and that’s what’s important.”

Once the situation is dealt with, Cassandra just wraps her arms around her boyfriend and embraces him tightly, feeling blessed to have someone like s/o in her life.

During the period of time when Cassandra turned evil due to Deathstroke, s/o felt his heart shatter knowing the girl he loved was now a villain, but once she came back to her senses, he wasted no time forgiving his girlfriend, even when others aren’t quite so willing to welcome her back with open arms.

“I don’t care what the others say! I missed you so much Cass, and I’m glad I can hold you in my arms again!”

He tells her while hugging her tightly, even though she feels ashamed and disgusted at her actions during her time as a villain.

Later on when Cassandra leaves Gotham for Hong Kong and becomes the heroine Black Bat, s/o fully supports her decision and goes with her, much to his girlfriend’s appreciation.

“Thank you s/o.”

“Hmm? For what Cass?”

Sticking by me, even if it meant leaving your home.”

“You’re welcome. Home is where the heart is after all, and you should know by now my heart belongs with you. I love you so much Cass.”

She smiles and kisses him softly on the lips.

“I love you too s/o.”

Despite the struggles and challenges in her life, Cassandra knows that no matter what, her beloved vigilante s/o will always be there for her.

[perpetualprocrastinationisme]

Will Ty Call on God Himself to Defeat Lucifer and Release Livvy in TWP?

Bringing back the dead, Johnny Rook had always said, warped the fabric of life, the same way making humans immortal did. Invite in death, and it would stay. Could anyone bring back the dead and have it work? Kit had asked him once. Even the most powerful magician? God, Johnny had said, after a long, long pause. God could do that. And those who raise the dead may think they are God, but soon enough they will find out the lie they have believed. - Lord of Shadows

When reading this excerpt from Lord of Shadows, it makes me consider what consequences Ty will have to suffer in TWP for bringing back Livvy. Invite in death and it would stay. We know that Magnus can sense dark magic on Ty like it's a cloud around him and that there's something like a necromantical string of magic that connects Ty to Livvy. He's literally "warped the fabric of life."

From TDA, we know that it can take extremely drastic measures to remove strong bonds of Magic. To remove Emma and Julian's parabatai bond one of them would have had to be stripped of their marks or they would have had to destroy all the parabatai bonds that existed. Only an act from heaven itself (turning into actual Nephilim) spared them from having to choose between those two options. Similarly, we see that the only way that Clary was able to bring Jace back from the dead is by the help of Raziel himself, a supreme heavenly being. When Johnny says that only God could bring someone back, he was being truthful. So, it seems that the only way for Ty to truly heal or undo the damage he has wrought by raising Livvy is to get Heaven itself to intervene.

TWP will call the whole fate of the Shadowhunting world into question and will change their world forever. I know their fate is most likely called into question because of Janus and whatever he sets in motion. Ash even hints at this in SOBH in a letter to Janus. But what if it's also because of the intervention that Ty will have to receive to solve his necromancy issue? If we think about the villain the TWP gang will be facing, Lucifer himself, then we have to also consider who is archenemy has always been: God. We also know that Cassie has already stated that TWP will turn on pieces of Biblical Mythology and that TWP is set up to be the ultimate closer to the Shadowhunter Chronicles. Well, when looking at the Bible and the Book of Revelation (the last book of the Bible that depicts the ultimate final battle between God and Lucifer), we see God seal Lucifer up in hell with his demons for good in the Battle of Armageddon, epically defeating him.

So, what if Ty calls God Himself down to finally defeat Lucifer and Janus which in turn burns up the necromantical bond he shares with Livvy because of being in the presence of God, the purest and most holy being that exists? We know that Ty has a way of summoning people (like how he did with Annabel) and getting things done that should be altogether impossible (raising Livvy). We also know that being in such close proximity to Heavenly power can destroy things like with Emma and Julian's parabatai bond. It would also check the boxes of turning on Biblical mythology by directly paralleling the book of Revelation and would very effectively change the Shadowhunters' world forever. If Lucifer is banished with his demons by God then Shadowhunters no longer have the one thing that defines their entire life: fighting demons. (I honestly hope that just Princes of Hell get banished and not all the demons. I think it would be an incredibly awful way to end TSC if Shadowhunters just lost their entire purpose for existing.)

I'm quite positive this would release Livvy to the afterlife and I believe that both her and Ty will be aware of this if/when they do call on God. I can very much see this as the moment that Ty comes to fully accept that Livvy is truly gone, that this is what must be done. I also believe this will serve as the moment where Livvy finally gets to take control of her situation as a ghost because I believe they will mutually agree to do this. She'll finally get to be that protector that she's always wanted to be. Plus, they'll actually get to properly say goodbye this time.

I believe that towards the end of TWP, Ty will be a pariah in the Shadowhunting universe for raising Livvy. This could be his moment of redemption in their eyes, could finally give Livvy peace, and would save the entire world in the process. It would also be the most powerful ending the TSC universe has ever seen, which would be fitting for its final one.

(I know this probably seems incredibly out there, but I would really love to see what any of you think of this theory. I also think that they would more likely call on Raziel instead, since he created them if I’m remembering correctly.)

Art at the top: @rowan.artt on Instagram

[suffering-and-happy-about-it]

Their Song (Killshot, Part 4.)

Description: The occupation as a member of SAS came along with many restrictions and rules one had to follow to a dot. It could get even more intense for a soldier carrying a lot of trauma and not enough self-love, if any at all. Thank God, this lonely soldier meets a lonely florist one day, and as they say - animals have the best judge of character.

Part Summary: While Ghost was trying to process the new information during his military duties, Cassie had a different idea on her mind - inviting you both to join the party during the upcoming karaoke session.

A/N: Okay listen, I know we're here for our boy Ghost and his story, but come on - we can not ignore how fine of a specimen Captain John fucking Price is. Like girl, don't even pretend you wouldn't be smitten by this charmer. He's the catch, the moment, the stunner. I wanted to write a chapter that focuses on the relationship between other characters too, so expect some bonding between Johnny, Cass, Nelly, Gaz and Price. Cuz we love good friendships and happy families. The chapter's ending is heavily influenced by Saturn and Turning Page by Sleeping at Last.

Warnings: Strong mentions of anxiety, reader getting hammered, usage of alcohol, and smoking (both mentioned and active), Simon Riley secretly having the voice of an angel. A lot of '...' is used in emotionally heavy moments. Mentions of various pop songs - it's not important, you can imagine singing any song you'd like - the only song I'm adamant about is Meet Me At Our Spot (by the Anxiety) being their song because the entirety of the story is built on it.

Word count: 9.5K (i have no apology)

Tagging: @poohkie90​

Master list: H E R E | Ghost's tapes: P L A Y L I S T

Cassie did as she promised - after Simon texted her the address, she was at your flat within the next 15 minutes. The traffic was usually clogged at this hour, but she did her best. Simon couldn't appreciate it enough. "... And I've cooked some vegetable broth for when she wakes up. Think it's a bit strong, but whatever. It'll get her back on her feet.." - Simon explained to Cassie as he walked through the flat, explaining what went down that evening. The woman listened intently, nodded, and hummed when needed. - "Promised her I'd wake her up when it's done, but she looked miserable the last time I checked on her."

"That's very nice of you." - Cassie smiled, putting her coat away as she was making herself more comfortable - she packed fresh homey clothes and the most basic hygiene she could need in case your flu got even worse than that. Living alone wasn't easy and sometimes, you needed someone to rely on - Cassie, still considering you one of her closest friends, was glad she could be that someone for you. - "She's lucky someone's looking out for her like you do.

"The least I could do, really." - The man grunted, putting his jacket on. No matter how much he liked being around Cass, he wasn't in the mood for pleasantries. He was barely containing the urge to beat Billy to a pulp and he didn't want to direct these intense emotions towards Cass or, in the worst case, you. - "Bonnie's also taken care of, took her for a walk, and checked she had enough to drink and to eat. Would be wise to walk her in the morning, though." "Aye aye, captain. Stop worrying - you keep on forgetting that I live with Johnny, I know how to make shit work." - The blonde nodded, smirking at all the concern she could see in Simon's eyes. - "I'm sure both of them will be alive and well tomorrow morning if you'd like to check on them. Or, you could cancel your plans and hang around? I'm sure Y/N would be delighted to see you when she wakes up." "Can't. It's urgent." - Simon dismissed, looking around for the last time. The peaceful image of being able to put his shoes in the same shoe rack was smushed by all the anxiety and hatred he was feeling. It felt as if this image flashed in his head years ago, not a few hours ago.

Cassie was waiting for Simon to make sure everything was okay - it was hard to say what was going on inside his mind, but there had to be something. Yes, she and Johnny caught the wind that your chemistry seemed to be flowing well - especially after you disclosed to her that Ghost visits you nearly every shift, spending your lunch breaks together. She wouldn't have suspected the two of you were at this stage, though. Cassie was... Genuinely happy when she heard Simon was at your place, taking care of you when you got sick. The two of you were one of the best people she had gotten to know - and from what little Johnny told her about L.t., neither of you had the best of luck with the people who hung around you. Cassie wasn't sure who it was when it came to Simon, but in your case, Billy was the prime example. She hated his guts ever since you introduced them on one of your shifts. The guy gave her the chills even though she mostly liked everyone - that was a major red flag.

Therefore, the knowledge of the two of you... Spending time together, getting to know each other... That was something that made Cassie smile. "Hey, Si?" - She asked when Simon finally walked to the front door, ready to leave the apartment. "What is it?" "Hope you didn't forget about next Saturday?" "How could I? You and Johnny keep bugging me off about it. Price also chimed in today." - Ghost reiterated with irony, sending one of his famous wink in Cassie's direction. - "Can't wait." "Take care, big guy."

For the next few hours, Cassie and Bonnie dozed off while watching the Bake Off - the two were splayed on the couch, nuzzling together. Bon usually slept in your bed (you even bought the doggie stairs for her since she was too small to hop onto it), but since your door was shut tight and there was a new strange human friend to hang around, she gladly spent the night with Cass. It could be around four in the morning when you woke up, setting on a journey to take a piss, have some veggie broth, take some painkillers, and then, go to sleep again. As you noticed Cassie messaging her eyes (the creaking of your floorboards woke her up), you thought you'd simply made her up. The last you remembered, Ghost didn't have long blonde hair and a petite figure. She frightened you when you walked back into the living room - the girl was standing in the small kitchenette area, heating up the broth while making you both a cup of tea.

"Mornin', sleeping beauty." - She hummed as she stretched her back, yawning as she did so. "Hi." - You muttered back, coughing right after. - "What are you doing here? When... Did you come?" "Around 8? Ghost had something going on and couldn't stay, unfortunately, so he called for backup. I'm the backup." "Figures. So sorry to bother you, but I'm good, Cass. Bet you'd rather be doing anything else than hanging around with me right now." "Shush, Y/N. I'm glad to be here." - The woman answered, sending you one of her heartfelt, genuine smiles. Damn, she was still the same sunshine you remembered. - "On a different topic, I hope you're hungry. The broth smells so damn good." "He promised to wake me up when it's done. Bet the plans came out of nowhere." - You assumed, putting on a sweater to try to fight off the chills. You were so cold that your teeth kept on clattering.

"Does sound like Ghost to me." - The girl answered, snickering. - "He checked on the flat at least four million times before he left, though, so you can be sure we're safe and sound here." "Were you cleaning up?" - You wondered, noticing the folded clothes - furrowing at the sight of your coat also being neatly folded. Whoever was cleaning up your kitchen was a damn genius. All of the appliances suddenly seemed pristine, even those that you struggled to clean for years. Everything was organized in a way that simply made sense. It was hard to explain, but the newly given order made your kitchen three times nicer. Also, all the mess laying around the flat, that you've been planning on cleaning the entire week, was neatly put on the coffee table for you to organize - along with that fucking photo... And that fucking letter. "No, me and Bon dozed off after McAvoy went on a tangent about his dough being a bit too wet." - Cassie admitted honestly, putting a mug filled with hot tea in front of you. You didn't flinch away from the sight of the photo and the letter lying on the coffee table, your expression devoid of emotion.

Ghost, you realized, your expression slowly drowning in worry and horror. Did Ghost see it? Did Ghost read it? Of course he did, you didn't bother with picking up the photo even though you knew it was lying under the fridge. Why would you? But what about about you now? You were in so much trouble, if Billy gets to know, he'll come and... You had to almost slap yourself. Billy wasn't there to do shit anymore. You were safe. As you sat there, frozen in place, you realized you weren't even mad at Ghost - it felt so freeing for someone to know. To know what you're going through, to see it all on paper. You should've been raging, you should ask Cassie to call Ghost's sorry ass so you could talk with him about who gave him the right to fucking snoop - and instead, you were so fucking grateful. A huge portion of the weight was lifted off your shoulders, realizing there was someone you could confide in regarding what Billy said... You could tell Ghost about everything Billy had done to you.

Sure, most people didn't like Billy, but none of the said people knew how bad the situation truly was. Others could see only how he treated you in public - how he talked about you as if you were a pet, something he had to take care of, something so annoying he hated it with every fiber of his being. What they didn't know? About everything that had happened in your old apartment, about what went down behind the closed doors. None of them knew about the numerous emergency visits, about all the 'stairs you've fallen off', about the holes in the walls, about the broken furniture and dishes. The people around you, except your mum, didn't know. The fact you didn't file a report against his ass was astonishing - you had plenty of chances to do so. The doctor who treated you anytime you came in asked multiple times if you'd like to share something with him - you could see it in his eyes - he knew. But you never did. You were too scared. So scared you fled one day.

You should've burnt both, the photo and the letter, just like you promised your mum. Instead, the evidence lay right there, on your coffee table, and someone whom you trusted dearly was aware of your struggle.

"You alright?" - Cassie wondered, watching your distressed expression. "Hm?" "I'm asking if you're alright, been silent for the past couple of minutes. You're looking like you've seen a ghost." "I'm pretty sure he's asleep by now, but okay." - You answered, your sass making Cassie snicker.

After you've both eaten a bowl of that delicious fucking broth (it was the best you've had in your life), chatting about everything new in your respective lives, Cassie fished out a package of butter biscuits from literally nowhere. Later, she admitted she found them in the pantry - this made you smile. While biscuits weren't your go-to snack, you could appreciate them - Ghost thought of everything. He bought utensils, medicine, actual food and even snacks. If God finally decided to answer your prayers for a guardian angel, Ghost was it. "'s the tea okay?" - Cass wondered, sitting opposite you with a croaked smile. Bonnie was lying by her feet, hoping Cassie would drop at least a crumble of cookies by 'accident'. "Best I've had in years. Poured your heart into making that cuppa, didn't you?" "You bet, love. Anywho, Johnny and I were wondering... What you're up to next Saturday?" "Nothing I can think of. I'll probably have a spa day with my mum. Hadn't taken her out in a month." "Would you like to come to a karaoke with us? It's in the evening, so you'd have plenty of time for your mum and yourself." - Cass asked excitedly, her eyes glimmering with hope. - "Everyone's wondering if you'd show up!"

"Uh-uh, they surely are." - You reiterated uncomfortably. It was hard to believe any of the people surrounding Cassie would genuinely want you around - you could say Cass was enthralled by the prospect of having you join their little crew, but the rest? "Not this again, girl. For starters, Johnny is talking my ear off regarding you, constantly asking if I've invited you yet? What did the bonnie say? You hadn't asked her? Shite, hon, pick up the phone and do it right now!" - The way she horridly imitated Johnny's accent made you genuinely laugh. - "Nelly asked countless times if you'd join our brunches and hangouts, she hadn't talked to you in years. Kylie will be there. Gaz promised he'd stop by for a drink, and Price... Girl, you'll love Capt'n Prize. He's easygoing, fun and very easy on the eyes." "Cass! Behave, you have a man at home." - You exclaimed, staring at her in disbelief. "What?! He's one handsome bloke, a high-ranking geezer in the military, too - I won't be denying he's handsome. If you think I'm wicked, you should hear what Johnny says about the guy! You have no idea how many times I've had to listen to Johnny's rambling about John's pecs." - With this, you both giggled until comfortable silence fell over the room.

"So... Are you coming?" "I... I don't think it's appropriate. You guys seem like a good party of friends, I'd be your plus one - the new weirdo on the block. Yannow what I mean?" "Except you wouldn't be, dummy. C'mon, everybody wants you to come. Ghost even said it's his only condition - you wouldn't wanna let the guy rot at home now, would you?" "He said that? You're committing emotional extortion right now, Cassandra." - You tried to circle around, but Cass' knowing smile revealed she was seeing right through your bullshit - she knew well to keep Ghost's wish under wraps until the last moment. It was nice watching you get excited, giddy up and grin a bit. She didn't answer your question, just smiled - "Well... If that's the case, I might drop for a glass or two." "I'm so happy to hear that. Wear whatever bloody hell you want, we don't care, just feel comfy and come in a good mood. The drinks are on us, we'll only need help with the rental. Also - we need to sing a song together." "No way Cass. You remember how bad I am at singing, right?" "Bull-fucking-shit. It's gonna be so epic. God, I can't wait."

Well, no matter how much you tried to resist and how you planned on shutting Cass' request down, by 9 p.m. on the following Saturday, the two were yelling some pop-song lyrics into the microphone with a drink in your hand. Holy fuck it felt wonderful to let all the worries and burdens go, even for one evening.

The week leading up to the karaoke session was a doozie for both you and Simon. He contemplated asking Cassie for your number, to call you, text, check on you - he'd been scheduled to look after rookie training in a boot camp a few miles away from London, unable to make it back even for a small chat. He vanished into thin air at the worst time - he acknowledged but couldn't do anything to let you know. The man wished to let you know he wasn't mad and that he certainly wasn't going anywhere - but opening such a sensitive topic with the victim of domestic abuse was very tricky. Of which he was aware, as he also fell into this bracket. At times, Ghost wished he'd be better at conveying emotions and more approachable to open such topics. Although everything that happened during his life, he'd considered himself a good listener - he highly doubted you'd simply spill the beans about the darkest time of your life when you meet up next time, let alone acknowledge he snooped in your private matters without your permission. Were you mad at him? How much will you tell Ghost off when he makes it back home? Will it lead to a well-deserved argument? It should, right? The thoughts about you and William consumed Simon's brain during each second of the service, turning him into an anxious ball by the end of the week.

Not that you'd be faring better than Simon. If it was possible, you were doing even worse than he was - what was wrong? Where was he? Was he okay? Did the letter make him change his mind? Did Ghost draw false conclusions from it? Each day at work, you hoped to see the man approaching in the distance, carrying two cups - this would be the first sign that everything was okay. You wished he'd drop by for a chat, even if you'd awkwardly sit around in silence. Being unable to see him was killing you - only on Thursday you learned about his minor deployment. It didn't ease the stress much, but at least you knew you weren't the cause of his disappearance.

Cassie and Johnny, thankfully, pulled through. The night Cass stayed over, watching you, rekindled the long-lost friendship and fueled it with a new flame. This one was gentler, not all-consuming - it wasn't the spontaneous friendship of two kids but rather a meaningful adult connection you felt you were missing. Your mum was over the moon hearing that Cass invited you for a karaoke - as you told her about Johnny bringing you breakfast the following morning put a gentle, knowing smile on her face. The two started texting you whenever they felt like it, ranging from 'How you doing' to 'Look what a weird strange thing I found in the store today'. Johnny even came on Friday to have lunch with you - he'd been just dismissed from the base (he had to sign some new payment estimates and take a picture for his personnel folder), sending warmest regards from Ghost. This boosted your mood immensely, turning you into a brand new person.

This led you to Saturday night. Everyone invited to the karaoke was pretty neat, you had to admit. Nelly, just as Cass solemnly swore, was over the moon when she saw you approaching the table, squealed, and immediately pulled you into one of her bear hugs. Kylie, even though you didn't remember her, was easy to be around - she had a nice aura surrounding her as she sipped on her margarita. Gaz, Kyle to you, was another member of Johnny's squad, you've learned on your way to get a drink. The gentleman got on his feet when you announced you'd like something to drink, offering to accompany you. There was something about his careful tone, gentle smirk and slightly narrowed eyes. While you perceived Johnny as an unstoppable force fuelled by sweets and coffee, Gaz seemed calmer, like cold gauze treating a burn or the soothing smell of air after rain. You loved his aura - every bit of energy Kyle offered, you took with a grateful smile.

John Price, Capt'n Prize as Cass dubbed him, was every bit like Cass painted him out to be - even more than that. It was hard to believe he was real at first - men like him usually ended up on the cover of Sears. Your eyes were there for Ghost and Ghost only, but damn, John was ridiculously easy on the eyes, charming, and attractive - a fucking stunner at his finest. When you got over his ridiculous attractiveness, there was everything else about John Price. There was something about his sharp wit, rascalous grin and devious jitters in his eyes, something about the way he insisted on joining him on his smoke breaks. The guy was a good listener, sneering and gruffing upon hearing your jokes and stories, his eyes not leaving you for a second. If you weren't smitten with your masked soldier, you'd beg Price to give you his number by the end of the night.

Ghost was running late ('Don't you worry 'bout the boy, lass, he's alright', Price informed), and after Gaz brought you your third drink, singing sounded like a good fucking idea. Not too much later, you and Cassie were jumping on the impromptu stage, dancing to some sort of British electro-pop, grinning from ear to ear - Ghost was standing in the shuffle door of your reserved lounge, watching you two enjoying the moment. He'd imagined how to explain his late arrival and the fact he was gone for a week, but the moment you sent him a smile and waved at him, already a bit tipsy, all the excuses dissipated into thin air.

You looked so beautiful when you were having fun - all the worries and everyday problems disappeared with a wave of a wand (more probably a microphone, that was), and alcohol gave you the long-lost courage and love for life. Ghost had seen you happy before, yes, but he hadn't seen you entirely carefree yet. "Thank you, Lucky Voice, thank you! We'll be here all week!" - Cass cried out drunkenly, bobbing a curtsy to the entire table of drunkards watching you. "The hell we won't, the rental price is insane here, lass!" - Johnny protested, making Cass laugh. Kylie and Gaz got up, preparing to sing Abba's 'Super Trouper' right after your tremendous performance. Even though Ghost would love nothing but listening to them, he couldn't miss how you approached him, your legs unsteady and uncertain.

"Hey there, stranger." "Hey, love." - The man whispered, growing soft upon looking at your flustered face. You were a bit sweaty from all the jumping, but you still looked so fucking good. So fucking good that Ghost had to do his best not to kiss you right off the bat in fact - it was a tough week and you were finally there, in front of him, close enough he could feel your warmth on his skin, close enough to be hugged, kissed and cherished... Your presence felt like a fever dream. He'd been sacked at the boot camp, looking over rookies, and following orders while having you and William on his mind all the fucking time. One moment, he swore he'd kill the guy the next chance he got; when he blinked, memories of you suddenly appeared, plastering yourself all over his brain, smiling sweetly at him. He's been missing your presence, the unmistakable charm you were bringing to the world... It was a week since he'd been under your spell and there was no other place in the entire world he'd rather be than at the karaoke bar, right by your side. "You're looking... Rough." "Am I now?" "Long week?" "Fuckin' tell me about it." "The boys mentioned. Wanna grab a drink and go for a smoke break? I'm fresh out of mine so I'd appreciate both - some booze and fresh air." "Would be my pleasure."

Asking him about all the details he'd been willing to share, the two of you grabbed a drink and ventured in front of the karaoke bar for a bit, lazily shuffling back into the rented lounge. Even though you tried your damnest to prolong the moment you were having with Ghost, Johnny ruined the intimacy the moment he saw you approaching - the guy jolted over to you, grabbing you by your elbow with great care. "We're gonna sign, bonnie lass, me 'n you. Price found the perfect song for us." "Did he now? That sounds menacing." "It'll be in good fun, c'mon. Be a good sport for me, eh?" "I would never turn you down, Johnny. I'm just worried about which tune Price picked out, 's all."

"Give me your drink. I'll fetch it to the table." - Ghost offered silently, melting at the sight of you and Johnny giggling like two little kids. With a sorrowful smile, your glass ended up in Ghost's palm - you wished the moment would've lasted longer, that you'd have longer for listening to him rambling about everything and nothing. You missed him. "'m sorry." - You added, stopping in your tracks. Johnny halted alongside you, watching the two of you ogling back and forth, Simon's eyes boring into you with unmatched intensity. If you'd let him, his eyes would probably devour you whole. Johnny let out a quiet whistle, waiting for you to be done with your small moment. Cassie proclaimed how she's positive Simon is into you and that you might be interested in him... But seeing it unravel in front of his eyes was adorable.

Your eyes never left Simon's face, your palm gently holding onto his forearm. You were standing inappropriately close - Simon could feel your breast bumping into his arm each time you took a breath. If you were anyone else (Nelly, for example), Ghost would've already shown you out of his personal space - but the guy did nothing, even took an almost unnoticeable step closer. The bloody bastard that reached an impressive 6'4 in height seemed to grow smaller and gentler in your presence, his eyes filled to the brim with warmth and adoration - why two you weren't dating yet was beyond Soap, truly. "Nothin' to be sorry about, love. You go and enjoy yourself now, yeah?" "I'll catch you later."

Moments later, you found yourself in a fit of laughter over Johnny's interpretation of 'California Gurls'. You loved everything about it - the false confidence he radiated despite not having any semblance of musical hearing, his inability to match his tone to the note progression and his horrible timing. The chorus, however, was something to behold - neither of you tried to sing, knowing the chorus by heart (thanks to this song being in the radio on a fucking loop), you simply yelled it into each other's faces, bouncing around and hyping each other up. Price didn't even cover the phone - he immortalized each second of your moving performance, sending it to Cassie the moment he ended recording. Cassie and Nelly were crying, losing it the moment you did your best to imitate Snoop Dog - Gaz appeared to be severely traumatized, cracking a grin when the hellish screeching finally stopped.

"Bloody hell, this was one of the best decisions of my life." - Price muttered, drying his cheeks. He meant it, none of them laughed this hard in the last few weeks. Cass was dragging him to sing their rendition of Take Me Out. - "I'm playin' this on your bloody wedding, sarge. Stellar." These two picked out Franz Ferdinand as their band of choice, dramatically portraying each lyric - alcohol and good company always made John pipe down, relax and sometimes, on extremely rare occasions, do rather silly and inappropriate things you wouldn't see a military skipped doing... Just as jumping around to the riff of 'Take Me Out'. "That's my fiancé! I taught my bonnie lass to listen to good fucken' music!" - Johnny explained, listening to the opening chords. You knew it, of course, it was well-known, but Johnny's sudden burst of pride made you stare at him with mouth agape. Thankfully, Kyle and Ghost to the rescue.

"Johnny can get a wee bit patriotic." - Kyle explained as the Scotsman jumped around in the rhythm, making you a bit terrified. "Uh-uh." - Ghost nodded, confirming. - "Hates us 'fucking lunatics', meaning Brits, according to his own words. Everyone except you and Cass according to his latest statement. Love that about the chap, though." "What does patriotism have to do with... Fucking anything?" - At that moment, Johnny started screaming the words with the same "grace" he sang California Gurls with. It looked both scary and funny at the same time. "The band is Scottish, you see?" - Kyle explained. "Heard him swearin' he'd plunk any uncultured swine who'd tarnish their rep." - Ghost added, taking a good swing of his whiskey. "Hillarious..." - Kyle added, clinking his glass with yours, kicking all the remnants in. "Scary." - You hummed, moving out of the way for Kyle to comfortably leave the table.

"On the topic of Johnny... Looked good out there. Didn't know you're such a talented singer." - Ghost murmured as you watched the trio, enchanted with how silly they acted. "You're fucking with me now, aren't you?" "I'm serious - wasn't as bad as I expected. Enjoyed every second of your brilliant performance." "If you enjoyed that, your musical hearing is fucked, buddy, sorry to inform you. Anywho, what will you sing?" "Oh, I'm just here for fun and banter. I don't do singing." "Don't be a party popper. C'mon." "And have you poking fun at me for the rest of my life? No, thank you." - Thankfully, he was saved by Nelly - she was asking for help with moving and assembling some furniture at her new place. Both Gaz and Ghost agreed to take a look at it whenever she needed them to.

His streak of not 'taking part in singing at karaoke' was challenged not even two hours later. The party had moved from drinks to shots - you were more courageous, not taking no for an answer. You, Cass and Nelly even had the first round of ugly crying of the night under your belts, crying about how you should've rekindled the friendship way sooner - at this, all the gentlemen decided to go for a smoke break, leaving Kyle behind as your nanny. As soon as Price got back, you were on his ass - sighing about him being one of the most handsome blokes you've ever met. Price could only choke out an amused: - "Why, thank you, miss." - before laughing his ass off at your drunk expression. You were standing in front of Simon now, your palm extended to him, chin risen ever so slightly. The expression you had was dangerous - determined and cocky.

"You need anythin'?" - Ghost prompted, grinning at the sight. He'd downed two glasses of whiskey by that point, the bourbon delicately burning in his chest. "Yah. You, me, the stage, now." - It wasn't a question nor a wish, it was an order. Simon's eyes narrowed as he smiled, darkening ever so slightly. He liked it when you were bossy. Cass, unbeknownst to your knowledge, bumped Johnny's shoulder, the duo now shamelessly staring at you. The rest of the table was engaged in a conversation as Price and Kyle told the ladies some of the less confidential stories. "I don't do singing, already told you when you asked." "Too bad I'm not asking. Move your ass, I spent ten fuckin' minutes looking for our song." "Our song?" - Simon whispered, all the air suddenly kicked out of his lungs. Of course, he knew what song you had in mind - the one playing when he worked on the chicken broth. Ashamedly, Simon had to admit he memorized each word, each chord because he had it playing on a loop in his headphones before going to sleep. "C'mon, mate. Make an exception, just for once - won't kill ya to sing. Poor lass barely hit the right keys." - Soap chimed in, his strong Scottish accent overwhelming the conversation - everyone's eyes were on you now, waiting for Simon to finally take your fucking hand. "Shit was kinda blurry, 's right." - You admitted, still waiting for Simon to take your hand. It wasn't a shame to admit you barely recognized a from m at this point, the alcohol kicked in big time.

His palm caught yours, slipping around it like a glove... As if your hands were moulded to be held by this, fitting like two pieces of a fucking puzzle. Getting you onto the improvised stage was a task in itself - you've stuttered on your way up and if it wasn't for Simon's hands catching your shoulders, you'd fall square on your face. "Who's singing Willow's part?" - Simon wondered as you offered him his microphone - your eyes darted next to his head as if you were trying to determine which of the Ghosts in front of you was the real one. "You, duh. Bet you're rocking luscious, beautiful curls under that mask 'f yours." "Fuckin' close 'nough, I guess." - The guy laughed, shaking his head at you - your drunk form was absolutely fucking adorable. If he'd have to describe it, you looked like a mischievous little devil. "Hit it, Jack!" - You exclaimed, pointing in Johnny's direction - Cassie was kneeling in front of the table with her phone at the ready, determined to catch every second of what was coming. Fuck, Simon realized, he'll have this on his plate for the foreseeable future. "Ma'am, yes ma'am!" - Soap answered with matching intensity, saluting as he his 'play'. The known base filled the silent lounge, having everyone staring at you with their breaths batted - you were swaying in the rhythm, your moves far from graceful but you were clearly enjoying yourself, lost in the moment.

You didn't know what you were expecting - Simon was a well-built man with 6'3 height under his belt, his voice naturally guttural and gruffly, clouded with a thick British accent. While you braced yourself to hear the most horrible hellish screeching imaginable, Simon's singing almost gave you a heart attack and swept Johnny off his drunk feet. Ghost sounded like an angel. All of you stared at the man in disbelief as he poured his fucking soul into the lyrics, hitting each fucking note perfectly. His interpretation of your favourite song was what you wanted to listen to over and over, selfishly wishing you'd record it. Simon had to poke your shoulder to make you realise it was your turn to sing - hastily, you joined him during the chorus, surprising your small audience even further.

Your singing wasn't bad, but not Grammy-worthy either - and yet, hearing you two harmonize was magical. Soon, you'd forget about your friends at the table, staring at each other while singing your hearts out. His eyes hadn't moved from yours, the man sang each line as if he meant it - it made your heart beat heavily in your chest. For Simon, it wasn't just singing - each line of the song had a meaning. It was one of his silly little wishes it could become your reality where you'd met earlier in your lives. In this universe, you'd be just two young adults falling in love, meeting up so you'd forget all about the stress and anxiety tying you down in each other's arms.

In that reality, Simon could be enough for you and you'd be enough for yourself. You wouldn't feel the need to stick around guys who weren't good for you, you wouldn't receive extortive mail, and you wouldn't be alone. He wouldn't cover his face because he couldn't stand to look himself in the eye, neither because he was protecting his identity. In this reality, William wouldn't exist. You'd have your spot in each others' arms, falling asleep feeling safe. In this reality, you could lead a happy, day-to-day life. There was a small moment when the song finished, a glimpse of a second when Simon almost kissed you. Your expression was adoring, glimmering with happiness and pure, unconditional love - the microphone dropped by your hip, and you were staring into his eyes, taking a small step closer. The whole moment was ruined by Nelly getting up, clapping and whistling cheerfully, others following suit - not bad for Si's karaoke debut, Cassie had to admit.

As you stumbled away from Simon's reach, you stumbled on your feet again, falling flat on the ground this time. - "Fuck." "Aight, missy, 's 'nough for you tonight. I'll take you home, yeah?" "Noooo, Ghoooost..." - You whined dramatically as he helped you over to the table, sitting you down. - "The party just started, man. We can't leave now." "You tell that to your toilet later. Price?" - Ghost called out, catching his skipper's attention. - "Can you look after Miss Diva for a second? Gotta go to the bog." "You got it, kid."

It couldn't have taken more than five minutes to take a piss, Simon rushed the entire process to be back as soon as possible. And yet, you were gone when he made it back - your coat disappeared from the hanger, your purse gone too. Jesus fucking Christ. You were giving him a run for his money. "Where is she?" - Simon demanded, burning a hole in Price's forehead. Five fucking minutes. He was meant to look after you for five fucking minutes. "Y/N got some sort of a text and said she has to leave immediately. Who am I to stop her? She's an adult. Can make her own bloody decisions." "I was just about to walk her home." "Then you should've said so. Hadn't caught that." "Right."- Ghost fumed out, turning to Cassie. - "Can you give me her number?" "Yeah, of course, let me text it to you. Want help with finding her?" "You go and enjoy the rest of the night." "Si!" - Cassie cried out as Simon turned on his heels, following him immediately. - "I'm sorry, but John's right. We weren't listening in and Y/N's a grown-up..." "It's fine, Cass. I'll find her."

You couldn't have made it far - in the state you were in, on your wobbly and unsteady legs? No way in hell you'd make it even around the block. What worried Simon, however, was the park to his right hand. The man hoped you had enough reason not to walk through it. The first thing he heard was a hiccup before you drunkardly mumbled your name, doing your best impression of being sober. "'s me. Where have you fuckin' disappeared to?" "Me? I know a lot of mes, sir. My mum told me not to talk to strangers. S-Stranger fuckin' danger an' all that, yannow?" "It's Ghost, Y/N, you slipped out of the karaoke bar. Where the hell are you, woman?" "Awwww, hiiiii. I didn't know *hiccup* you had my number?" "Got it from Cass. Can you spill the tea?" "'m on my way home." - You explained as if it weren't obvious. - "The mood for partying kinda dropped to zero, decided I gotta go check on my adorable little doggo. I missed my sweet little princess." "That's all sweet. What do you see around you?" - Thankfully, you were drunk enough not to catch onto his plan of finding you and started to talk about your surroundings. For once, Simon was grateful for drunk people being gullible and honest.

"Trees. Lots of 'em. 's kinda dark around but I'm pretty sure some food *hiccup* in the distance. Yep, right up the vein!" "Dearie, don't say this sort'f stuff so loud, yeah?" - Simon asked, turning on his heels towards the park. He could hear you giggle on the other end, the sweet sound making him grin. - "What's that about?" "Dearie is cute 'n all, but I like it when you call me love. Makes me weak in my knees 'n all." - You admitted, stuttering over your words as you tee-heed again as if you told Simon some well-guarded secret. As if Simon didn't already know. "'kay love, tell me more about your surroundings, I'm on my way to get you. Can call you love for the rest of the night if you'd fancy that." "Ohmygod..." - You sighed swiftly, chuckling at the prospect ahead. Ghost tenderly whispering 'love' the whole night sounded like a fucking dream come true. - "You'd *hiccup*... You'd like to do that?" "Wished to do so for the longest time, love."

"I can see a bistro and some... Fuckin' statue. Whatever the fuck that's *hiccup* supposed to be, it's scary." "Any benches in the area?" - Even though your description was far from eloquent, Simon knew the place you had in mind. It was a small takeaway coffee selling baked goods and hot drinks to go. He hadn't visited it, but Cass mentioned it here and there because it wasn't far from her workplace and she enjoyed going there on her lunch break. The statue, if he wasn't mistaken, was representing either Shakespeare or Peter Pan, but Simon was unable to recall it correctly at the moment. As he suspected, you didn't get far at all. "Quite a lot. Fuck, I think it's some sort'f a square or somethin'." "Sit down for me, love, I'll be there soon. Stay with me on the phone for now, yeah?" "But I miss Bonnie soooo much, Ghost, I just wanna..." - He could hear as you struggled to sit down and fell onto the bench beats later. It was hard to make out what you precisely wanted to do to Bonnie, but he could hear some humming and kisses here and there. - "She's home all alone, my poor baby." "Not for long now, I swear, we'll take off as soon as I find you. How you're feelin'?" "Haven't thrown up yet. 's a good sign, no?" "Look at you. Quite impressive given everything you've poured down your throat." "I can handle my *hiccup* fuckin' alcohol." "You sure can..." - Simon answered breathlessly, finally reaching the spot - he could see your silhouette splayed all over the bench, your coat undone, your purse lying right next to you. - "You sure can, love." - He said as he approached, having you sit up straight faster than lightning. Your expression started beaming with blissful happiness the second you laid your eyes on him.

"Hi, Ghost!" - You squealed, shoving the phone into your purse, not caring to end the call. - "You look good tonight. *hiccup* Have I told you that already?" "Not that I can recall, no. Lookin' beautiful yourself." "Now you're just making shit up, I'm fuckin' wasted, dude. Drunk people never look sexy, 's what I always said anyway." "You look amazing all the time, love, without a fail. C'mon now, let's get you home." "You mean that?" - You whispered, your eyes glued to his as he helped you to stand your feet. Without his arm around your waist guiding you forward, you'd be fucked. Everything was blurry and multiplied, you couldn't say which trees were real and which were just a fragment of your imagination. "Never meant anything more in my life. Even in the most worn-out sweatpants you own. Let me take you home now, you sexy beast." "Never say that again. Sexy beast? Love's so much better. Jesus." "Your wish is my command, ma'am." - Ghost muttered sweetly, leading you towards the bus stop. Both of you were laughing, you were right - 'sexy beast' was the most horrid-sounding pet name that ever graced Simon's lips.

As mentioned before, Simon hated being the centre of attention - everything about that made the hair on his arms stand in pure displeasure. He hated when people stared at him, fearing that he was a threat; he just wished to blend into the crowd and remain unseen and unnoticed. Let's just say... That being unnoticed in a packed double-decker in central London with a giggling, drunken mess in his arms was near impossible. For once, however, Simon wouldn't change for the world - it was endearing to feel you grasping his jacket, nuzzling yourself closer so you wouldn't fall on some stranger in such a confined space. Watching and feeling your head leaning to his chest with a confined smile, taking a relaxed breath - smelling him and listening to his heartbeat. He'd imagined this so many times. Even though the circumstances were far from perfect, everything about it made Simon happy. He'd come to rescue you from any party you'd go to just to feel the fuzzy warmth bubbling in his chest again.

When you finally arrived at your flat, the first thing you did was turn into a whiney mess - instantly, you were on your knees, your clothes leaving very little to Simon's imagination. You burrowed your head in Bonnie's fur, sobbing uncontrollably. As he locked the door behind you, Simon simply hoped it was happy, let it be ugly, crying. "She's... She's so perfect." - You sobbed, pulling Bonnie close to your chest as you looked up to Simon, your make-up absolutely ruined by that point. The dog was clueless and didn't know what was happening - it simply licked your chin feverishly, welcoming you home. - "She's the best thing in my life right nooooow..." - And now, you were whaling. Great. Drunk women were the most ferocious and dangerous creatures in the universe - Simon was adamant about that. - "I love her soooo fucking much." "Absolutely correct, love, she's our perfect little girl. How about we clean your face and change you to more comfortable clothes?" Simon whispered, pulling a strand of hair behind your ear.

Seriously, he needed you to change your clothes ASAP - he'd love anything else but watching your figure and curves (the current view alone was bringing Simon many indecent thoughts)... But drunk fucking wasn't something Riley would be interested in - if the two of you were going to have sex, it would be sober and with full consent. The man prayed to whatever gods up there to make you change into the baggiest sweatpants and shirt you had lying around to cool off his libido. As you crawled out of your bedroom in a Bristle Bears jersey with biker shorts under, the crisis was, thankfully, averted.

Twenty minutes later, you splattered over your sofa - the TV was playing in the background as you sat with your face turned to Simon. He gently ran at least the 20th makeup wipe over your face with the utmost gentleness he could muster, concentration knitting his eyebrows together. He even took the liberty of making you a cup of tea, God bless him.

The window was crooked open, the rest of his cig slowly burning out in an improvised ashtray you crafted for him. That was when Simon noticed yet another wave of tears in your eyes. "What is it, love? Did I poke your eye on accident?" "No, that's not it. Thank you for being so nice to me." - You sobbed, first tears rolling down your cheeks. Simon sighed, doing his best to keep his inner peace balanced - seeing you cry for the millionth time was both soul-crushing and tiring at the same time. "'s nothin', trust me. What's goin' on in that noggin of yours?"

"You." - It was just a whisper, but it made Simon straighten up - his head slightly tilted this shoulder, his eyebrows cocked in confusion. - "Ehm, I meant, your face. You're being so nice to me, take care of me even though you don't have to, spend your free time in that damn flower shop with me even though all I can offer is my company..." "But your company's enough for me, trust..." "... And I don't even know *sob* what you look like." - You whinced, wiggling away from his palm. You were doing your best to stop the childish tantrum, even bent your head backwards and tried pushing the tears back in. - "It just... Doesn't feel fair, yannow? I know you have your reasons for covering your face. I know I'm acting like an absolute asshole over something so minuscule right now. Do you realize how stupid I feel for crushing on someone whose face I hadn't seen? I'd recognize your eyes anywhere, but I'd like to see more. And no matter what, I can't stop wishing to see more, even though I know it won't ever happen. Like... You hadn't told me what your name is, I just got your number because you were pissed at me, you never talk about yourself, or share details... And me crying about it is the stupidest and most selfish thing fucking ever because I'm your friend, and I'm supposed to respect your fucking privacy..."

Simon didn't move for a few beats, tuning out whatever you were ranting about - not that he didn't want to listen, but because the simple confession stole his breath away. What did you just say? Crushing? You had a crush on him? Simon was ready to outright propose if you'd like to, right there on your sofa, to your whiney, drunk ass. Confirming you had true feelings for him was marvellous, stopping his mind from wondering whether just flirted around, making him out to be just a nice little distraction. You weren't. As he processed the information, he couldn't help but chuckle - the sound halted your crying and whining immediately. If you had asked him any other time, Simon would've most likely denied the request outright... But since you were both drunk, the liquid courage was making him less self-aware and more confident. Why not? Why shouldn't he just go for it? Take his chances with you?

"... And I even asked Cassie about you even though I knew I shouldn't... I'm such a fucking prick, bloody hell." "That's what you're cryin' your pretty eyes out about?" - Simon asked, completely detached from whatever you were going about for the last few minutes. "I mean... *sob* I know it's selfish 'n all, but I'd say... Fuck! Yannow, some guys on the telly said that non-verbal communication makes up to 70% of all human interactions." "All you gotta do is ask, pretty girl." - Simon murmured, his breath growing shallow - his heart was beating so fast as if it were to burst out of his fucking chest, pressure raising rapidly as he realized the insanity of what was he was about to do. He'd push the baklava off his face if his palms weren't a sweaty, trembling mess. "Ghost, I beg you - can I see what you look like?" "Take it off yourself, love."

Gently scooping closer to him, you pumped your fingers a few times to stop them from shaking. Your adrenaline shot through the roof, and you started dragging your fingers on his shoulders, slowly working your way to his neck - giving him time to process your touch and get used to the stimuli. His body felt scorching under your touch, his pulse fast under the tips of your fingers. His eyes were closed, breathing unsteady, muscles tensed up unnaturally. You could see Ghost's palm clinging to the back of your couch, his fingers buried in with a force that turned his knuckles white. As you finally started peeling the baklava off, his body shuttered, leaning away from you. As if it was an unconscious reaction, Simon didn't spend any time before sliding back within comfortable reach, already missing the comfort of your touch. "You sure it's okay for you?" "Mhm. Just keep goin'. Don't stop - if you stop, it'll kill me, darling." - Simon muttered, securing himself in place. His leg was lazily thrown over your waist so you'd sit puzzled together, Bonnie sleeping wedged into the small space. He wanted you to see. Simon wished to look you in the eyes without covering his face. He finally wished you to experience and feel all the love and adoration brewing within him. "Okay."

Much to his dismay, you were taking your bloody time, tearing the material off so agonizingly slow - one hand was lifting the fabric, your dominant hand gently caressing every inch of the newly discovered skin. Your eyes tried to memorise it all in case you wouldn't see it again - the dent in his chin, his fawn stubble, the sharp outline of his jaw, sharp contours of his cheeks, his plush and full lips and even the ugly scar reaching from his upper lip to his left nostril. Your caresses worshipped his hooked nose, the sweet dark spots under his eyes, and all the freckles standing out on his upper cheeks thanks to the area being exposed to the sun more than the rest of his place. He could feel your touches moulding his skin gently, dragging your fingers on the ugly scar on his temple, carefully tugging on his soft dirty blonde hair - then, suddenly, the baklava was fully off. Simon felt it coming, but it still surprised him; so much so that he squished his lips into a tight line, as if he tried to hide from your eyes for even a second longer. Your hand discarded the baklava almost carelessly. Knowing you've thrown Simon's most precious shield on the ground left him utterly defenceless in your arms, at the mercy of your words and actions. And yet, there was no other place he'd rather be in the entire world.

"Ghost..." - Your voice grew meek with adoration and emotion, your palms still kneading his face. It was then that he finally allowed himself to peek at you, to see your expression. Your lips were parted slightly, your face flushed with heat, your eyes scanning him adoringly. Tears were dropping on your cheeks again. This time, Simon knew they were the result of the happiness you felt, therefore he didn't comment on them. Fuck, he felt like the luckiest and most handsome man walking the Earth.

"Hey there, dolly." - Gently, his lips brushed over the inner side of your palm before he leaned back into the touch. "You're so fucking beautiful. Bonnie, look." - Picking the dog up, you pointed at Simon's face and giggled, making Simon smirk right back at you. The dog yawned, licking its mouth and shaking its head - it wasn't interested in Simon's face to reveal in the slightest. - "He's perfect. Isn't he perfect? Tell him how fucking flawless he is, come on." "You don't mean that. That's the alcohol talking." - Simon chuckled while looking away from you, his Adam's apple bobbing as he forced a gulp down his throat. Embarrassment painted his cheeks bright pink. You made him blush, you realized, staring at him with your mouth agape. The triumph made you cackle.

The duality of Ghost left you speechless - a confident, 6'4 guy not to be messed around with the mask, snarky humour, and his physical presence overwhelming you every time. This Ghost? Giggly, happy, slightly drunk. You loved how comfortable he looked with legs puzzled around your waist, his right arm leaning into the sofa as he looked everywhere around the room instead of you. You adored every inch of his dark pink blush and the entire universe that exploded, establishing itself behind his eyes. So this was the man you loved, the one you pinned after for the last few months? You loved every inch of him. Even if he'd look utterly different, you'd still be enchanted.

"Piss drunk people are always honest." - You admitted, caressing his upper arm. Were you staring? Probably. Was it making Ghost uncomfortable or flattered? Hard to tell. Could you be stopped? No. When will you get another chance like this, to fawn over his beauty in its full glory? He was everything you imagined... And much more than that.

"... I really like it when you blush." - It was a careful admission, but you meant it. You put Bonnie down on your lap again, leaning your elbow into the couch right next to his arm, so you could stare at him more comfortably. "... And I really like you." - Simon spilt without giving it too much thought, immediately realizing what he'd just said. Well, as Price often said, in for a penny - in for a pound. This was the night of admissions and confessions... At least it was turning out to be. And each little confession felt natural, lifting heaviness off his shoulders. You knew. You must've known by now. And yet, finally admitting to it felt uplifting. "I just want you to know that if I was bold enough, I'd kiss you right now, Ghost..." "Simon." - The man whispered, shutting you off. Hearing his government name lit your face up. An amazed sigh left your lips as you connected his name to his appearance, burning it into the back of your head. - "It's Simon Riley... My name's Simon Riley. I should've told you way sooner."

"Oh, Simon, Simon, Simon, Simon..." - You chanted as if you hadn't heard a more beautiful word before. Biting your lip, your hand has risen to his cheek again, cupping it gently. Hearing his own name falling off your lips like that was heavenly. - "A name for an angel rather than for a Ghost. I like that name. It suits you." "I'm glad to hear that, ma'am." - Simon didn't like it. The name reminded him of his old man way too much, connecting him to a troubled family tree, to the people who turned him into what he was. He wasn't willing to ruin the moment you shared, however. If you said his name's nice... It must've been. "And may I?" - You whispered, staring at his lips. Simon licked his lips expectedly, nodding to let you know it's fine, that he wants it too. He put his hand on your waist, holding you in place as he scooped you closer - you were puzzling himself into his arms as if you belonged there forever, being that one little silly puzzle piece he'd lost before he was born. Your knees wrapped around his waist as you palmed his t-shirt, steadying your position.

You were both taking your time, giggling excitedly, blissed with disbelief. Your breathing was tickling Simon's face, making Simon's smile widen. Your eyes closed as you positioned your elbow around his shoulders, your nails gently scratching his scalp. So close... He was so close. Your noses bumped together, warm skin dragging across each other, your breath finally stabilizing as you got ready for the final stretch. Simon could feel your lips brush against his... But the kiss didn't come. It never came, in fact. The moment Simon opened his eyes to deduce what was wrong, a snore cut through the comfortable silence in your apartment. At first, it shut Simon off. He was staring at you, holding his palms on your shoulder blades, playing with the ends of your hair - until he started laughing quietly.

He wasn't upset, God forbid angry with you. You were trolled, in the end, drinking way more than you should - he half expected to be holding your hair for you by this point of the night. Even though you hadn't really touched the first base, this night turned into everything Simon wished for. This was just his luck - the lady holding his heart in a headlock dozing off before anything happened. "She's knackered." - Simon whispered towards Bonnie lying on the ground. The cutesy dog had no idea what he was saying, but she was excited enough to nuzzle and nibble on his ankle. - "I know, sweet girl, I know. Let me put mommy to bed, and then we'll set out for a walkie, yeah?" - The man ushered as he started folding you into his arms bridal style. Upon the word 'walkie', Bonnie growled and whimpered excitedly, almost wiggling her tail off. - "Hush, you little furry beast."

The duo spent half an hour walking outside on a cold night, Simon taking his bloody time smoking a few cigarettes to calm down. Bonnie was doing her own thing, carrying various sticks to him so they could play fetch. As soon as the door to your flat opened and Bonnie's paws got cleaned, the dog sped into your bedroom, nuzzling to you - all you did in response was throw your hand over her, grunting displeasantly. Before leaving, Simon quickly put together a note.

'Thank you for one of the best nights of my life. Prepared some coffee and painkillers for you on the counter. Text me when you wake up. Love, - Simon'

[mariacallous]

Sean "Diddy" Combs is not backing down in his request to be released from jail on bond.

The disgraced rapper — who is currently behind bars at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn — sent in an appeal on Monday, September 30, to overturn the latest judge's ruling to deny him bail, according to USA Today.

The 58-year-old Bad Boy mogul — who, last month, was arrested and charged with sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transportation to engage in prostitution — has been denied two $50 million bail offers since his September 16 arrest.

Judge Robyn Tarnofsky denied Diddy's first $50 million bail offer on September 17, noting that his alleged crimes happened "behind closed doors" — and therefore, that no safety measurements his legal team could ensure on bail would be enough to keep potential victims safe.

One day later, Judge Andrew L. Carter ruled the same — Diddy's team's bail proposal of $50 million, GPS monitoring and strict limits on visitors — was "insufficient" to ensure community safety.

Diddy, who has pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him, plans to testify in his upcoming trial, per his lawyer, Marc Agnifilo. Though a date has not yet been set, the attorney told the press after Judge Carter's ruling that he is "going to try and get [Diddy's] case to trial as quickly as possible."

Of all of the disturbing allegations in the 14-page indictment, the descriptions of Diddy's supposed "freak off" parties have made the most headlines.

Per the documents, the "All About the Benjamins" rapper allegedly "used force" to "cause victims to engage in extended sex acts with male commercial sex workers that Combs arranged, directed, masturbated during and often electronically recorded."

Alleged "freak off" supplies were also found at Diddy's homes in Miami and Los Angeles, including 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant and drugs.

In addition to the federal criminal case against the "I'll Be Missing You" singer, many women have also filed civil suits against Diddy, alleging sexual abuse.

Diddy's ex-girlfriend Cassie settled with the rapper in 2023 after suing the rapper for rape and abuse. Earlier this year, Diddy was seen physically abusing Cassie and dragging her by the hair in a hotel surveillance video from 2016.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to https://www.rainn.org/

[darkdemeter]

SCP 999.2’s mental health recovery have improved significantly thanks to the efforts of certain SCPs including the Horsemen. Certain events occurred such as learning horses from SCP 5094, helping SCP 590 heal, drawing with SCP 085, playing with SCP 131, and even SCP 6330 helps protect her at night. Just as the Horsemen helps protect and keep her safe, SCP 999.2 does what she can to comfort and heal them as well and the Horsemen grow less hostile and more affectionate with the subject.

OPERATIONAL “GUIDANCE” LOG — STATUS REPORT:

Update: Provided the support given from fellow SCP interactions, including her Horsemen counterparts, SCP-999-2 has made exceptional progress in her recovery. Dr. D-L. Argus is among the Foundation staff that oversee 999-2’s welfare.

Numerous aforementioned subjects have engaged with 999-2’s recovery, aiding in healing physical and psychological treatment and granting their present support over her of comfort and to protect her.

While MTFs and SCP-3456-2 collectively prepare their strategy of SCP-682’s recapture, SCP-999-2 has been given two bowls worth of SCP-348’s contents, subduing her into a calm state.

Subject engages with SCP-5094 and currently learns factual information about horses. Secondary is 999-2’s session with SCP-590. He provides solace and comforts her, easing the pain she still feels upon touching her arm. Subject 590 appears to struggle and writhe in pain as if experiencing the horrors of 999-2’s attack. SCP-590 has recovered from his episode.

Subject is now entertained by SCP-085, “Cassy” who both draw together. Already they have acquired what is to be noted as a bonded friendship. Subject 999-2 draws material in which Cassy can interact with upon touching.

So far, SCP-085 interacts with flowers, a puppy and a horse reminiscent of a deathly and decayed specimen, lacking any form of fur or hair and welted, pale skin and muscle tissue. It’s face resembles that of a horse skull, a shortened bone tail with glowing green flames that appear to be its mane and tail.

SCP-999-2’s mental status appears to have improved so long as no recent reminder of the incident is mentioned.

Furthermore, SCP-131-A and SCP-131-B have taken quite a notable attachment to SCP-999-2, accompanying her whenever she is given authorised permission to be escorted around-site. Subjects 131-A and 131-B remain close by and will often deter her away from areas they sense danger from, despite these higher classed specimens being contained, they perform tricks and engage in playful activities in order to lure SCP-999-2 to safety.

When playing together, subjects 131-A and 131-B will either chase after 999-2 in a game of tag, their speed slowed exceptionally to match a more fair pace suited for her. Added to this, 999-2 will also coddle and change after 131-A and 131-B eagerly and again, they will exercise a more fitting speed to hers.

As a comforted measure, 999-2 has requested that a teddy bear (which will begin manifestation of SCP-6330) be present in the room with her when she sleeps, primarily afraid that SCP-682 or any other Keter classification of SCP will locate her.

As expected, surveillance captures SCP-6330-1 and 6330-2 locked in combat, battling each other whilst subject 999-2 sleeps, seemingly restless and disturbed in her dream state.

MTFs have begun their final phase of deployment into the field to locate SCP-682. The Horsemen allow themselves any time they can with 999-2, assuring her that she will be alright and in turn, she has calmed them. Levels of SCP-3456-2’s hostility had significantly decreased and have become affectionate with the subject as she continues into her final stage of recovery.

[princeseerow]

oh man, i tried to classpect the animorphs once! never really finished, but from what i remember:

rachel - knight of rage

jake - rogue of blood

tobias - breath

marco - seer of mind or seer of heart

cassie - maid of heart or maid of space

ax - possibly light? i was always least sure of him

david - void

rachel is definitely a knight, probably a knight of rage. knights are said to protect their aspect or protect with their aspect, and rachel's primary motivations throughout the entire series are to protect the people she loves. (the knights we meet in homestuck also tend to struggle with facades and their sense of self which, like, hello?) rage meanwhile, while it can be the aspect of anger, also encompasses fear and skepticism -- sometimes healthy, sometimes not. one of the most important parts of rachel's character to me, besides her protectiveness, is the times we see she's afraid. not really afraid of the yeerks or even of dying, she's afraid of herself and who she's becoming, afraid of losing her friends and family, which is what drives her protectiveness. plus, the berserker getting the rage aspect is so on the nose that it works

jake is blood for sure, but i never settled on a class for him. it feels like a fandom cliche to make the leader a blood player but like. come on. he's absolutely blood! blood concerns itself primarily with interpersonal bonds, connections, and responsibility which is A) jake's main drive for the fight (ie, saving tom) and B) the reason he was chosen as team leader to begin with. the other animorphs primarily know each other through their relationships with jake, and in turn, jake can read his teammates so well that he could near accurately predict how anyone would respond in a given situation. if i had to pick a class for him off the top of my head, he might be a rogue. theyre said to steal their aspect for the benefit of others (whatever that means tbh) but i also just think it would be so funny if the "andalite bandits" were headed by a rogue

tobias is breath easily. its also kind of on the nose when you consider that breath players get air/wind powers, but more importantly, breath is the aspect of freedom and disconnect. thats just... tobias. i dont have to explain myself. thats tobias. and also importantly, breath is the opposite aspect to blood, which for the purposes of this analysis do well to help emphasize how opposite he is to jake.

marco i can see as both a mind and a heart player. theyre opposites, but its pretty common in homestuck for characters to embody traits of their opposite aspects anyway. mind is thinking and rationality, while heart is feeling and emotion, but mind and heart both have a lot to do with identity and self. mind is to obscure the self and heart players is to embrace the self, but then, part of a character's journey is struggling with what their aspect means to them; the comic's most popular heart player has very obvious mind tendencies after all. marco is the Thinking Man of the group but he's not a robot. he's honestly pretty susceptible to letting his emotions get in the way of his decision making, particularly when it comes to his mom. he's either a mind player with very strong heart leanings or vice versa. as for him being a seer of either, seers are the class of knowledge and observation, which make them well suited for being tacticians.

cassie is hard to pin down tbh. she has the feeling empathetic nature of heart for sure, but space being the aspect of creation just feels so fitting for her in a way i can't explain. either way, i'm thinking maid -- maids are said to be particularly close to their aspect which can be both beneficial and detrimental if they don't learn how to strike balance. maids are also commonly headcanon to be a healer class and i just like the idea of cassie being a healer of heart/self or healer of space/creation

oh, aximili. he's the hardest for me to classpect which is why he's last*. my only real argument for ax as light is that light is the aspect of knowledge, among other things, and he's the closest thing the team has to an IT guy and alien expert. no idea about class.

okay yes of course i had to do david. he was an animorph too for a while!

david is void definitely. besides being appropriately edgy-sounding, my reasoning is also kind of mean, and i love being kind of mean to david. so, his actions in the series are honestly pretty light-y. because, besides being the aspect of knowledge, light is also pretty attention-seeking which imo david's role as a traitor who tries to align himself with whoever has the most power in a given situation, only to eventually attempt to weasel his way into power himself... right up until he gets bested by those he underestimated and cast into literal obscurity. light's opposite, void, IS the aspect of insignificance and obscurity. it's the aspect of "nothing." and wouldn't it just piss him off to learn he was destined for nothing?

I know you didn't get into Homestuck but on the offchance your followers have opinions what would the Animorph's classpects be?

I will float this to the followers. People who know Animorphs and Homestuck - thoughts?

[coltwinchesterdsm]

Ethan & Colt's Marriage. Original One.

(D) @SanctifiedSword -Loving smile.- How about we take that jump… @SD_NPC3 (E) [Smiling with sparkling brown eyes, Ethan slips Deans hand into his, kissing it tenderly] I’m more than ready. (D) -Quiet disposition never more sure of anything gives Ethan a heated stare.- (E) [Eyes locked on his, Ethan raises two fingers and lays them on his forehead, poofing them to the lava field of Oahu, Hawaii, hand still holding his.] Welcome to our paradise. I chose this place not only for it’s beauty, but also for what it represents. It is smoldering lava under a hot shell. That is what our love is. [He smiles so Our love is calm on the outside but smoldering hot under the shell. [Eyes slowly fall to our joined hands] Let's get married, babe. (Pastor) {appears with a warm smile} Hello Ethan and Dean {looks to the both of you} shall we begin. (D) -Never gonna get used to the teleporting but willing to suck it up for a good reason. Wave of nausea hit, ground gave way. Squeezing Ethan’s hand as things took form again. His voice rumbled low and I had to smile damn if he wasn’t smitten bad as I am. Cool ocean breeze rolled in causing the heat from the molten core beneath our feet to be tolerable. Giving the lady a nod stood up straight confident.- (E) [He nods as he looks at her] Yes, I’m ready. (D) -At ease little nervous but that was cause I tended to mess shit up but not today. Glances up at Ethan winks.- (Pastor) Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here today in the presence of these witnesses, to join Dean and Ethan in matrimony commended to be honorable among all; and therefore is not to be entered into lightly but reverently, passionately, lovingly and solemnly. Into this - these two persons present now come to be joined. If any person can show just cause why they may not be joined together - let them speak now or forever hold their peace. (E) [Squeezes Dean’s hand as she speaks, heart racing and chest pounding] (D) -Dean listened intently, thoughts of past mistakes were never to far from his mind. He’d broke more hearts than he could count. Each time it had been a defense mechanism. Rule one never get to close they can hurt you. If they do cut and run. He’d tried once when he was younger, Cassie hadn’t beloved a damn word he’d said. From then on the stage had been set. You can only go so far without a soft place to fall before you self destruct. He knew he didn’t deserve something so great. Looking over at Ethan he took a breath that had been caught. Savior, hero and lover all wrapped into one. Knowing Ethan could hear his thoughts. “I love you.” Glances back at the lady ready to let go of the past and spend his future giving all he had to the man beside him.- (Pastor) The key to love is understanding … as it is the little things that say so much by themselves. The key to love is forgiveness …. to accept each others faults and pardon mistakes, The key to love is sharing … Sharing and acing your good fortunes as well as the bad, together; both conquering problems, forever searching for ways to intensify your happiness. The key to love is giving … Giving without thought of return, but with the hope of just a simple smile, and by giving in but never giving up. (E) [Smiles at your words, soaking it all in. It feels hot and Ethan reaches up to open the button on his jacket, mentally blaming it on the location, but he knows it’s nerves. He’s marrying the love of a lifetime and he’s in awe that such a special man wants to be his husband.] (Pastor) The key to love is respect … Respect realizing that you are two separate people, with different ideas; that you don’t belong to each other, that you belong with each other, and share a mutual bond. The key to love is inside us all … It takes time and patience to unlock all the ingredients that will take you to its threshold; it is the continual learning process that demands a lot of work, but the rewards are more than worth the effort and that is the key to love. {looks to the both of you with a smile} please face each other {looks to the both of them} would you like to speak your vows Ethan { faces him first} (E) [Ethan turns toward Dean and smiles a sincerely happy smile, hand tightening as he looks into sparkling clear green eyes. Dean has the kind of eyes that Ethan could lose himself in…and he does every day. Looking into those hues, today is no exception and the whole world falls away. All that is left is a fallen angel and a man that are so meant to be together and so intertwined that nothing can separate one from the other. Ethan clears his voice] Dean, I knew the minute I kissed you that very first time not so long ago, that my life would change. You give me a reason to face each new day not with dread but with excitement because I know you are by my side. [The angel raises their joined hands together and kisses each of Deans palms] I promise to be by your side for each sunrise and each sunset. To hold you close when you are scared and hurt. To protect you and stand beside you when you need to fight and try to fix this crazy world. To call you on all your bullshit when it gets to deep. [laughs lightly] But above all else, Dean Winchester…I promise to love you until my dying day. I love you, Babe. (D) -Standing toe to toe a full range of emotions passed over his features. Bitter sweet that anyone knowing his darkest secrets would or could love him like this. It was an incredibly humbling moment. Solemn he spoke.- I've got nothing to give that is worthy… All I know is that I can’t breathe without you. Come heaven or hell I will remain at your side. I love you Ethan and I want to be your husband. -Ethan was already wearing the wedding band he’d given him. Thumb grazed the smooth metal as he smiled up at him.- (Pastor) Dean please repeat after me “I Dean give you Ethan this ring as an eternal symbol of my love and commitment to you.” {smiles widely} (D) -Clears voice.- I Dean, give you Ethan this ring as an eternal symbol of my love and commitment to you. (Pastor) {smiles as I face Ethan} please Ethan repeat after me “I Ethan give you Dean this ring as an eternal symbol of my love and commitment to you." (Image) (E) [Ethan reaches into his dress jacket pocket and pulls out Dean’s wedding band. With a smile, he places it on the ring finger of his left hand.] I Ethan give you Dean, this ring as an eternal symbol of my love and commitment to you. The design has significance to our love not only as a symbol but as a reminder. The smooth black of the ring symbolizes the darkness that we feel when we are apart and the two cables that run through it, symbolizes the strength that we have together and we strengthen the steel of the darkness. [He swallows hard as he raises his hand to wipe the tears away with his thumb and forefinger.] You are my strength. (Pastor) By the power vested in me by the Heavens, I now pronounce you husband and husband. (E) [With a smile that shows all over his face, he pulls Dean into his arms and kisses him as if his life depended on it. His hands cupping his face. In this one kiss was the promise of all the kisses to come.] (D) -Arms slipped around him, heated kiss.-

[iphoenixrising]

Your broken trust series has me think l thinking on a tim with memory lost a little further back, before dami and Jay came along. Just how this tim they've never (really) met before is so kind and happy and bright compared to their current tim whose a lot more closed off and calculated. Just meeting tim from before a majority of his trauma took place

Hi babe <3

You know, I think Broken Trust could be, could be, really cute in a 'Tim, Jay, Dick, and Dami get a do-over and become super close fam and vigilantes' kind of spin. Like, this amnesia could last for months and in that time, the Bats literally kidnap Tim from Titan's Tower and bring him home to be cuddle to death until he tells them all in no uncertain terms he's still a bad ass vigilante and he demands, demands, to patrol and work cases or else -

he's going to make plans and no one wants that, do they? Didn't think so. B just fixed the Cave from his last plan, so don't push it.

JUST. It could go from this angst-fest to ultimate family/friend bonding and bringing everyone closer again the way it really should be.

Of course the OG YJ (which is Bart, Kon, Cassie, and Tim for those that only have the television show for reference) aren't very happy about it and only agree to let Tim back in Gotham if they get to keep their tracker on him and he has to come to San Fran on the weekend like he usually does (at this, Tim rolls his eyes because duh. You guys are awful without me). B is willing to go to whatever lengths he needs to so Tim gets to stay in the Manor and isn't bothered by things like ninjas or WE board members. He's let Tim take on too many responsibilities as is, so it is literally Bat Dad engaged.

And it COULD BE the reconciliation we all need in our lives.

I mean, it could be. Who knows ;)

[poxysblog]

NOTES

pairing: Elliot x fem reader

It started off with just a simple note on one of the tables she worked. Fast forward three weeks later, she's sitting outside the restaurant she works in and reading a full on song about her.

She can't help but feel her face heat up and her eyes water as she read through the beautiful note depicting his love for her. He describes her beauty, her smile, her generosity, her shine that keeps people coming back into the establishment.

"I think i'm in love with him guys." Y/n stated as she sank into the comforting cushion of Maddy's car seat.

"Bitch, you're fucken joking right now." Maddy said as she glanced at her in the rearview mirror.

"Y/n it's a little to early to be in love with him, don't you think?"

"Cass stop with the bullshit. Y/n you don't even know this guy all you have is just some letters and a couple of dump songs."

"Dump songs? Maddy you fucken bawl your shit out whenever i read one of those songs. I like him, i honestly do guys, so just back me up on this."

"Just be careful Y/n. And of course we got your back." Cassie said kissing her cheek.

"Whatever, just don't come running back to me when you see him with three fucken nipples and one eye."

They all just laughed at Maddy's remark. Y/n was sure that whoever L was, he was perfect.

Arriving at the party the three almost immediately separated. Cassie went to go look for Mckay, We all know where Maddy went and Y/n went to look for Rue.

She searched high and low for the slender lady and came out tired with no Rue in sight.

"Heyy Y/n, didn't think i'd see you here."

Ethan. He was her bestfriend for a long ass time but eventually their bond broke and they just went close anymore. She blamed herself, with being always busy trying to get her life in order, she gradually started moving away from him.

"Hey Ethan, I just came to talk to Rue mostly."

"Ohh well i saw her go into the backroom, with the dark door a while ago so...idk"

"Thank you, you're fucken amazing."

She gave him a smile as she was walking away from him. He watched in aww as the girl he once had a crush on smile at him. Though he likes someone else now, he always finds himself smiling whenever she's around.

Y/n knocked once and didn't wait for a response before she pushed the door open. Rue sat on a the floor with Jules on her left and some unfamiliar guy on her right.

The burning sensation that went into her lungs as she breathed the air gave her an idea of what they were doing.

"Well if it isn't Y/n. Hi."

She scanned all their faces and an infant could tell that they were out of it.

"Hi Rue. Hi Jules. Hi guy with cool hair. Umm Rue can i like talk to you a split second outside."

"Sure Rue can talk to you but you have to do her a tiny tiny favour." Jules intervened.

"She does?" Rue, who was now standing looked down at Jules who gave one of the most quickest glances at Elliot.

Elliot who on the other hand never broke his gaze away from her. All that time seeing her in her work uniform, he didn't think she could transform to a more perfect version and yet there she stood with her tight purple dress on.

"Sure, just come on Rue."

Y/n grabbed Rue's hand and they walked outside the room.

It took Elliot a few minutes for his mind to register the fact that she was no longer there. Jules watched as Elliot dropped on his back and let out a moan like sigh.

"If i ever fall out of love with her Jules, take to church so they can cast the evil spirit that would have casted it self on me."

Jules laughed a bit even though she knew he was no where joking. His love for her is so intense and so perfect that absolutely nothing or no one could ever tear this guy away from her.

The door opened and Rue walked in with Y/n following her.

"Hey Jules, let's go grab more of that umm..."

"Okay."

Elliot immediately sat up to give the two a what the fuck look. Jules and Rue just smiled at him like two high idiots and left them there together. Elliot stared at the girl of his dreams who was just awkwardly smiling at him.

"What did she want?"

"She wanted to know if i knew who her secret admire was and well where's the fun in telling her."

Y/n walked around the room and found her self sitting on the bed with Elliot just watching her every move from where he was sitting.

"Did i serve you a day ago?"

"Umm, yeah you did."

"No wonder you look so familiar. You always take the back table, sometimes Rue or Jules serves you or I do. You have really cool hair."

"....Wanna touch it?"

Elliot thought he'd live with the embarrassment of being rejected of something so great by her but he wouldn't have too.

He found himself laying on her lap as she gently stroke his hair. His whole face was redder than any tomatoe he's ever eaten. He felt his penis grow harder the more he laid his head a thin layer of fabric away from her probably sweet pussy.

"Elliot, do you think you can fall inlove with someone without directly speaking to them?"

"I don't know. Why?"

"Well i think i'm inlove with someone."

"You are?"

"Yeah but i don't know him. He could have three nipples for all i know."

"Wait how are you inlove with someone, yet you don't know them"

"I just fell in love with the way he write me in his songs. I fell inlove with him because he knows the good and sometimes too good in me and yet he praises me in every verse. And his hand writing is pretty amazing."

The way Elliot slowly rose his head up from her lap to glance at her beautiful eyes was so magnificent.

"You.. You what? Y/n did just say you love me?"

It took her a second to realize it but she did.

"L?"

Without another word said, Elliot held her face with his delicate hands and drew her closer to him. In a few moments their lips where syncing and moving in such a slow sensual motion that the was no stopping Elliot's now fully hard dick from spilling out pre-cum into his favourite trousers

The kiss eventually stopping at Elliot's intrude. They stared into each others eyes and Y/n couldn't help but tear up causing Elliot to go straight into panic mode.

"I'm sorry. Please.."

"Elliot i wanted to meet you for so long. I wanted to tell you that i Loved you."

"God. I thought i fucked up. I'm sorry Y/n, i just didn't wanna fucken embarrass myself. I didn't think you actually read any of them. I tried hinting out who i was but i guess it wasn't a good of a hint as i thought it was."

"It really wasn't coz if i knew you were the cute guy who always ordered the cheese cake with a chocolate milkshake, we would be dancing and grinding on each other."

"I'm sorry."

She just smiled as her hand went up to his cheek and started caressing it.

"I'm just glad you have two eyes and two nipples."

See Y/n fell inlove with who he was, not how he looked, though he is fucken magnificent.

Extra

Y/n: He has two nipples Maddy and they are fucken sexy

Maddy: Someone get that fucken bottle away from from her

Y/n: Not to mention his... you know what is.... you know how

[izzyfromdeadspace]

Cassie took them both to the clinic and hovered over them both like a hawk. The doctors gave L some medicine before sewing his arm up and bandaging his arm. Once done they let him hold back onto Izzy again and began to test her cognition and found she'd actually regressed a bit which worried them. When they actually accused L of causing it she watched Izzy cling to him tighter and she sighed. "There's no separatin em. They've bonded in a way. There has to be somethin else we can do to help them both."

In the end they were both brought home and sat in the living room. With the TV turned on Cassie went to make them some lunch. Izzy just nuzzled L and went back to trying to fix him up like a puzzle. She'd used so much of her shards that she'd started losing a bit of herself in the process. Frowning she glowed brighter to make the bad shadows go away. Snapping another shard together she gasped feeling something grab her by her throat and ripped her away from him.

Falling to the floor she clawed at her throat struggling to breathe. Kicking at the air she clawed at herself until she drew blood and began tearing her flesh away from the muscle. She couldn't breathe. The shadows were pressing so hard down on her throat that it felt as if it were crushing her. RIG alarming her eyes began to roll back into her head and blood bubbled between her lips.

The man stood there staring blankly off to the side, his hand holding Cinder’s as he rocked on his heels, he had the gods hoodie draped around his shoulders his body covered in bandages, his eyes were… well. His eyes were dull and grey, his irises cracked like broken glass, he looked so hollow but he sort of turned his head as if listening to something, utterly oblivious to what was going on.

@izzyfromdeadspace

[god-infected]

Perfumes & Joanna Newsom's Have One On Me

Easy; "One can't carry the weight, / Or change the fate of two." (wallflower, gardenia, pink pepper) Furiosa by Fendi

Have One On Me; "I saw a star fall into the sky / Like a chunk of thrown coal / As if God himself spat" (amber, vanilla, labdanum) L'Ambre des Merveilles by Hermes

81; "The unending amends you've made, Are enough for one life" (cassis, rose, black currant) L'Ombre Dans L'Eau by Diptyque

Good Intentions Pave Company; "And in our quiet hour, / I feel I see everything, / And am in love / With the hook /Upon which everyone hangs." (cardamom, tuberose, peach blossom) Chinatown by Bond No 9

No Provenance; "You burned me like a barn / I burned safe and warm in your arms" (suede, myrrh, saffron) Anubis by Papillon Artisan Perfumes

Baby Birch; "I wish we could take every path 'cause you know / I hated to close the door on you" (iris, musk, vetiver) Iris Silver Mist by Serge Lutens

On A Good Day; "Our nature does not change by will." (carnation, aldehydes, oakmoss) L'Air du Temps by Nina Ricci

You And Me, Bess; "I know we both grieved / My heart made the sound of snow falling from eaves" (leather, sage, tobacco, geranium) Cabochard by Gres

In California; "My heart is yellow as an ear of corn / And I have torn my soul apart" (pine, lily, moss, powder) Relique D'Amour by Oriza L. Legrand

Jackrabbits; "When I saw my heart, and I tell you, darling / It was open wide" (lavender, tonka bean, incense) Gris Clair by Serge Lutens

Go Long; "Who will take care of you / When you're old and dying?" (amber, resins, patchouli) Ambre Sultan by Serge Lutens

Occident; "What in the world are we waiting for? / Building glowing cities along the shore" (anise, heliotrope, carnation) L'Heure Bleue Eau de Parfum by Guerlain

Soft As Chalk; "I roam around the tidy grounds of my dappled sanatorium" (lily of the valley, civet, lilac) Diorissimo by Dior

Esme; "All of us in our tents / Fearing god like a mistress" (aldehydes, sandalwood, iris, musk) Bois des Iles by Chanel

Autumn; "Even the ghosts / Huddled up for warmth" (patchouli, plum, rose, amber) Voleur de Roses by L'Artisan Parfumeur

Ribbon Bows; "But, later on, when I am alone / Alone at last / Well I take my god to task / I take my daggone god to task" (rosemary, vanilla, lavender, leather) Jicky by Guerlain

Kingfisher; "When I could speak it was too late"(tuberose, lime blossoms, ozone) Thunderstorm by Demeter Fragrance layered over La Chasse aux Papillons by L'Artisan Parfumeur

Does Not Suffice; "It does not suffice for you to say I am a sweet girl / Or to say you hate to see me sad because of you" (musk, civet, amber, lavender) Furyo by Jacques Bogart layered over Lavender by Demeter Fragrance

[suffering-and-happy-about-it]

Her Song (Killshot, Part 3.)

Description: The occupation as a member of SAS came along with many restrictions and rules one had to follow to a dot. It could get even more intense for a soldier carrying a lot of trauma and not enough self-love, if any at all. Thank God, this lonely soldier meets a lonely florist one day, and as they say - animals have the best judge of character.

Part Summary: During an unexpected visit from your favourite military man, the florist starts showing signs of the flu, as is common throughout autumn. It's up to Ghost to become the best sous-florist Soho had ever seen.

A/N: I swear to god, this part was not coming along. I hope you'll have fun with it, but I just feel like the words and correct sentence order weren't coming along at all. Also, Cassie is here to make a guest appearance, we love future Mrs. MacTavish. 

Word count: 6.5K

Tagging: @poohkie90​

Master list: H E R E | Ghost's tapes: P L A Y L I S T

It was strange to get used to - to see a very tall, mysterious masked man walking into your flower shop regularly, always bringing two cups of chai latté and various baked goods. Ghost'd been coming irregularly at first, always making your day a whole lot brighter - after some time, he started coming around your lunch break so the two of you had time to chat and exchange horrible puns and one-liners.

Interesting thing to note to self - Ghost never bought the same type of pastry twice. The two of you started experimenting with what Grind On had to offer, tasting different flavours, fillings, types of dough and other ingredients, debating whether it was a hit or miss. Some of them were really good, and some of them turned out horrendous. Each time you'd spot the known baklava and a matching black hoodie, you walked to meet him in the entrance if you didn't have a client on your hands, holding the door open for him as Bonnie enthusiastically greeted Ghost back to Rosemary's. Needless to say, Bonnie was all over Ghost and the longer the two knew each other, the stronger their bond became. After some time, Bonnie pouted anytime she spotted Ghost packing his stuff.

And one autumn day, she didn't even bother with pouting - the puppy simply rolled on its back and played dead. As Bon continued to lie on the ground dramatically, you two couldn't help but snicker.

"The two of you had been training hard, huh?" - Simon asked as you both watched the dog doing its best not to move, blowing its cover by looking at the two of you - her eyes jumped from Ghost to you, back and forth. Ghost was referring to your continuous attempts at teaching Bonnie all the basic commands - sit, give me five, lie down and to the leg, to be specific. The two of you even paid for a training course, which Bonnie loved - she loved obstacle courses and playing with other dogs and their owners. She was a social butterfly, that much was obvious to you.

"Nu-uh." - You dismissed categorically, shaking your head. - "I got nothing to do with her theatrics this time. Whatever this is, I didn't teach it to her." "What are you trying to achieve here, missy?" - Ghost wondered under his breath, leaning down to pet Bonnie on her tummy - she did her best to continue playing dead, but the wiggling of her tail gave her out. After Simon sat back up, a snicker of yours caught his attention - his stare was borderline offended, underlined with amusement as he turned his head to you.

"As I said, she's growing up to be a total heartthrob and a heartbreaker. Look at yourself, Ghost, you've fallen right into her schemes." - You explained in a whisper, dramatically pulling out the bag with her treats. The man scoffed in reaction to your action. "You'll do her this dirty? Look at her, she's doing her best. This is a new low, even for you." - Ghost noted, rolling his eyes playfully. "Watch and learn." - As you said this, your hand shook the bag. With portrayed drama, you pulled out one of her favourite chewing sticks, waving it around. - "Woah, it's so unlucky that I have this bag full of treats for Bonnie... I just wanted to give her one because she's been such a good girl, but look at her. My oh my."

In that instant, Bon got on her feet and ran to you, barking at you so you'd notice she was right there, alive and well. The shit-eating grin on your face was priceless, making Ghost lower his head in defeat. "Point still stands, Y/N, just look at the lass." - The man continued, putting his hoodie and backpack on. It became a recurring thing - he'd always take it off to make himself more comfortable. He rarely wore short-sleeved shirts, but he'd roll up his sleeves from time to time. There was a pretty intricate tattoo on his left arm, but you've never pointed it out. Hadn't even asked about its meaning either. While the base of your friendship was growing strong, it was still hard to determine where Ghost's 'that's enough of that' limit starts. "Oh, admit it, Mr. Military Man. Bon has you wrapped around her pretty little finger, my little minx." - With that, you finally gave the Bonniethe snack, so you and Ghost would have time to say goodbye as you walked him to the entrance. - "So, see you on Friday?" "Negative, ma'am. I got a meeting to attend, unfortunately." "What a tragedy, sir, you won't be able to get your regular dose of humour." "Speaking of which, you hadn't finished the joke earlier. You owe me one." "Right." - You nodded, expression turning serious. Simon felt this is either gonna be really good or very fucking bad. - "What do you call a shipment of military-issued T-Rexes?" "No fucking clue. What do I call that?" "Small arms." - You added triumphantly, grinning at your own joke. The wave of cringe hit Simon so hard he had to shake his head and take a deep breath.

"Fucking hell, Y/N. Maybe it's for the best I won't get my regular dose of your humour on Friday, this one'll haunt me in my dreams." "Oh, boo-hoo. Can you imagine know how hard did I have to dig for this fucking joke? I'm the funniest person you've met, just admit it already." "Haven't said you aren't." - The man answered silently, hovering over you as your hand rested on the doorknob.

So far, you weren't able to guess how Ghost felt about you. Yes, you concluded he enjoys your presence - he wouldn't be coming as much as he has if that wasn't the case. The two of you regularly met up during your lunch breaks for well over a month by that point. On the other hand, there was the fact that he still didn't entrust you with his civil name, his age, his phone number or other details you were anxious to know about the person you fancied. You weren't losing any hopes as of now, because there was something in the air. You didn't have the guts to name whatever it was, but the electricity was buzzing and chemical reactions were crackling. In moments when he looked at you like this, your breath hitched and your blood started to boil. Sometimes, it had gotten so bad that your body shivered and your lips started tingling ever so gently - that's how desperate you were to kiss him, to let his taste and smell intoxicate your brain, making you unable to concentrate on anything other than him. Oh, yes, another note to self - Ghost smelled so fucking good, with or without cologne. And dear God, didn't you love it when he wore his combat t-shirts so you could gawk at his body? Sometimes, you were pretty sure he was doing it on purpose. Once, Ghost came straight from the base - sweaty, after a training, dressed up in his tight combat gear. Your brain refused to compute on said occasion as he marched around the room, going on a tangent about something (not a clue what he was going off about) - your eyes were glued to his lovely bottom, it was a miracle you hadn't drooled all over your counter. Last note to self - his ass was very lovely.

"Say it, then. Admit that I'm the funniest person you've met." - You whispered, the corners of your lips turning into a devilish smile. "You know I can't." - Ghost opposed, ensuring his hoodie was zipped up to his ching. "You can and you will. It'll stay between us, not a word in front of Cassie, pinky promise - Johnny wouldn't get to know." "MacTavish is hot on your heels, ma'am. All he needs is a sprog of his own and his dad-joke arc will be complete, unfortunately for you." "You're no fun." - You mumbled, pretending to be upset over the dispute. Simon was smiling under the mask, knowing that in his eyes, Johnny's awful jokes wouldn't ever be as good as yours. With that, you unlocked the door, holding it open for Ghost. - "Hope the meeting will go alright." "It's just regular debriefing, Y/N, don't get worked up over essentially nothing - trust me, I'll be alright." "Sorry for worrying, then, Jesus Christ, Ghost. Can't you just take a compliment? Or me being worried for once?" "Where would be the fun in that, love?" - The man shrugged as he walked backwards, still looking at you while leaving.

You both loved and hated when Ghost did that - no way Ghost didn't know what effect this nickname in particular had. Sure - it was just a common phrase, and you've heard it a million times from your grandpas and uncles, but still... It detonated a bomb of butterflies in your stomach each fucking time. "Wouldn't be as fun if I didn't tease you, would it, now?" - Ghost let out smoothly, finally stepping out into the street. "See ya!" - You cried out, waving at him, watching as he disappeared behind the corner. Since Bonnie was too busy chewing on her snack, she didn't even catch that Ghost was gone. With you, it was a different story - smiling dreamily, you still stood in the opened door, leaning your burning cheek into the cold glass. Ghost had to know what he was doing to you and revelled in seeing you getting flustered, overthinking everything he said and getting giddy over each compliment or phrase that didn't have a meaning strictly given by the topic of conversation. - "... You fucking twat."

The rest of your shift went as usual - it was pretty calm since Rosemary's didn't get much traffic on Wednesdays. Things, however, started to feel a bit funky on Thursday - as if the world around you got a bit fuzzy and your eyes constantly burned, making you sleep throughout most of your day. You've taken Bon for regular walks as she was used to, but only after putting on a ridiculous amount of clothes. The first time you sneezed you knew you were doomed - your scheduled autumn flu just arrived in full force. Since you didn't have any shifts throughout the weekend because Cathy needed to up her hours, you decided to push through Friday regardless. Due to your state, however, you didn't have time or energy to prepare yourself for defeating said flu. As you gulped down on a painkiller, you noted there were only a couple of them left - when in the fuck were you supposed to get more or shop for veggies, tissues or cough syrup?

Usually, you liked to deem your work ethic flawless - on that particular Friday, however, you were sluggish and out of it entirely. Orders you'd complete in five minutes took you fifteen, your fingers weren't bending properly and your whole body ached. It was around three in the afternoon, less than three hours until closing time when you heard a familiar voice calling out to you. The man could immediately tell something was wrong - you didn't notice him as he strolled down the alley, you didn't acknowledge him until he stood in front of you. Bonnie, as usual, was all over him, barking loudly and happily. Even your attempted shush was weak and pathetic; Bon's barking made your headache even worse, each sound echoing inside your head. Usually, you'd gush over Ghost's presence - especially after you've been told he wouldn't make it on Friday. This time, you've just waved him off and turned around to have a big fat sneeze. The man stopped in his tracks, narrowed his eyes and watched you moan lightly, supporting the small of your back before making careful steps, and slugging around the shop.

"What in the bloody hell are you doing here?" "I don't know... Working? Like any normal person with a 9-5?" - You reiterated, rolling your eyes at the question before blowing your nose and coughing into the sleeve of your sweater. "Normal people with a 9-5 don't look like their rigour mortis just kicked in." "Very funny, Ghost, very funny." "I've been told I'm hilarious." - The man muttered, turning the sign on the door to 'closed'. - "It would be hilarious to pack your stuff and go home now to work on curing your flu, wouldn't it? That's sounds very fun, doesn't it?" "I don't think I appreciate your sense of humour." - You muttered back, turning the sign back to 'opened'. You could see his eyebrows shoot up and eyes narrowing even more, if possible. - "How was that... Whatever mumbo jumbo you had today? What was it again? Everything alright?"

"The debriefing went as it always does, that's why I've made it today. All good, they even let me off sooner. What's not good, however, is you." "Ouch. That was cold." - You sighed unenthusiastically and checked your watch. - "If you'd like to lay into me, just go home and rest. I have three hours to go and if you're not here to help..." "I might. You know what? I might." - Ghost mumbled under his breath, walking behind the counter to put his backpack next to yours, taking off his sweatshirt as he seamlessly moved around. You had a hard time believing what you've been looking at, so you got stuck watching as Ghost put one of the aprons on. Funnily enough, there is only one remaining - a pastel pink one. It looked cartoonish on a man of his figure with his 6'3 height, broad shoulders, sculptured muscles and menacing posture... It left very little to the imagination, revealing more than it covered.

"What are you up to?" - You asked, genuinely not catching his drift. "You said I can either stop laying into you and leave or become your sous-florist. I've made my decision." "You know jack shit about flowers, you're in the military." - You argued back as if Ghost didn't have a clue about what his occupation was, your voice becoming weaker and raspier with each word. "I'm well aware, cadet." - The man sighed, entwining his palms behind his back and straightening up, gaining at least two extra inches in height. As he watched you with his eyes narrowed and eyebrows knitted together, the fact that he's a high-ranking geezer in the SAS suddenly started making sense. The shift in atmosphere gave you goosebumps. - "We are going to cover each other's backs and ensure the mission ends in success, do you understand? You need my help - I'm here to help. I don't leave my soldiers behind. When this is done, I'll take you home and ensure you rest up - that's an order. Are we clear, cadet?" "Ghost..." "I said, are we clear, cadet?" - Ghost ignored, furrowing even more if that was possible. The stare in his eyes got burning, almost too comfortable to maintain, so you turned your head away, looking on your shoulder. "S-sir, yes, sir." - You got out before you sneezed again, meowling as the sneeze shook your head. God, you needed a bed, a painkiller, a shitload of napkins and sleep.

And so, you were forced to share your workspace with a rather terrifying military man because he refused to leave. No matter how many times you rebutted his decision, Ghost just shut you down with his military mumbo-jumbo; after your thirteenth try, you gave in to having him as your sous-florist. And, to your surprise... Ghost was quite handy with flowers. Little did you know Ghost learned most of it by simply watching you work - all the hours of wondering about your craft, of watching your fingers skillfully tie bows and fixing decorations in place were coming in handy. Putting theory into practice was a different story, but he was handy enough to make it work. Unbeknownst to both of you, there was also a side of him that longed to create art - he never had the time nor the chance to explore this side of himself due to his father's whims and unstable environment, but something about the process of creation calmed him down, grounded him, made him relaxed. Maybe this was something he could concentrate on after his therapist recommends him to find a therapeutic activity again. So far, he'd tried playing basketball and boxing, but neither of those had ever brought him as much peace. Sure, his flowers couldn't be compared to yours, but under your careful watch and a load of your help, he was bringing together acceptable flowers. Ghost hadn't come close to creating a bouquet, neither did he have the balls to do so - trying to tie a fucking ribbon around three roses without shouting profanities was hard enough.

"You know what?" - It was a whisper coming out of your mouth as you finally locked the fucking door of the shop. Ghost sat down and let out a long and tired sigh, massaging his face with his fingers. No exaggeration, he looked as if he just finished running a fucking marathon. "No, but I bet you'll enlighten me nonetheless, huh?" "Oh, haha. I was about to compliment you, but you're being a pain in my ass." "Apologies, ma'am. Go for it." "In case your military career fails, drop your CV here. You're not bad at this, I'll intercede in your name." "Why, thank you. I might do that nonetheless. Got the impression I'm a good florist myself." - The man joked back, watching you stumbling around in your apron - you were unable to tie the knot on your back and since there was a decent chance you had a fever too, you've been walking around while moaning silently. Even through the circumstances, Simon's ears perked up at first as he listened to the soft, helpless sounds escaping your mouth. God. He'd give anything to hear them as he'd hover over you, leaning down to kiss you while his fingers would... Clearing his throat, Simon stood up to walk behind you, undoing the apron. While he was at it, he gently smoother your forehead - you were sweaty as hell, and burning up also. Way more than he'd imagine.

"That's it, we've got to get you to bed and make you tea." "I think you might have a point here, actually."

Walking you home felt like a superhuman task - Bonnie was out of her mind, happily running around and barking, because your state forced the both of you to be inside the shop for the entire day. You've done your best to at least let her walk around the street, but that wasn't comparable to going on a walk. You were holding onto his elbow, feverishly looking around. You've been entirely out of order, that much was plainly obvious - all it took for Simon to determine was the veil cast over your eyes. Usually, there was this excited spark in your look, mainly when you smiled at him (which you did a good portion of the time you've spent together), but now, there was nothing. Your eyes were just aimlessly jumping from place to place as fever took over you, disconnecting you from reality. Getting you on and off the bus as well as up multiple flights of stairs was tricky. With all the remaining might you've had in you, you were trying to help Simon get into your flat, but he still had to wrap his arm around your waist to support you, carrying Bon on his other arm.

Usually, Simon would wait on the doorstep for you to invite him into your flat. It was just a formality, something so very dumb, he insisted on. That way, he'd be positive you actually wanted him in your personal space - yet due to your state, Simon spat on his personal set of rules. He waited until you fished out your keys, mumbling some mumbo-jumbo under your breath. Based on the expression on your face, Simon was pretty sure that whatever you were talking about was very important to you at the moment but he was unable to decipher the transmission. Waving your palms around, you cleared your throat and turned to him.

"I said, keep your shoes on." - You repeated weakly. - "It's fucking messy nonetheless. Also, would you be a doll and get me a painkiller and a glass of water? It's in the cupboard above the sink. I'll go ahead and change into something homey." "If I'd be a doll?" - Simon repeated after you, snickering. First, he set Bon on the ground, petting her before she ran off somewhere. - "Wouldn't you prefer some tea? Your voice sounds hoarse." "Well..." - You stuck your head out of what Simon believed was your bedroom, clearly dressed only in your bra and the pair of jeans that made your bum stand out nicely (yes, this pair was Simon's favourite, in fact). Right after, you slipped an oversized shirt over your head and started taking the bra off. Even though he'd love to stare at you like a deer in the headlights, Simon made the adult decision to clear his throat and look for the painkiller. - "To make tea, I'd have to have tea." "Are you fucking joking?" - Simon responded before he could stop himself. "About?" "Not having tea at home." "Why would I joke about not having tea at home?" "You live in the middle of London. Don't know if you're aware of that, but us Brits love tea." "Ghost, you're like really pretty and all, I like you a lot, but..." - You started off, making his eyes narrow - until he realized you were just trying to put his harangue to end. The tone of your voice made Simon lose himself for a bit before you continued with what you had to say.- "Please, give me the fucking painkiller."

"Yes, ma'am." - If you were fully conscious, you'd surely notice the warmth spreading on Simon's face, the baklava poorly hiding his smile as well as the pure adoration in his eyes - now, however, you just smiled at him and gulped the painkiller down. - "It was the last one in the package. Do you have some more hidden around? I could fetch them for you." - Ghost offered quietly, leaning his elbow into the doorframe as he gazed at you lovingly. Price would surely call him a lovesick puppy. "Oh-oh." "Oh-oh?" - Simon repeated after you, this time in pure disbelief. So you didn't have tea, you didn't have painkillers... Was there anything you did have? - "Do you have literally anything of use inside your flat?" - As he asked, you lifted your eyes up to him, your bottom quivering slightly. "Last week had been tough, okay? I was feeling horrible, I felt like I'm running behind, I didn't have time to..." "Me." - Simon whispered, smoothing your shoulder quickly to make sure you wouldn't start crying on him - his palm ghosted over your skin. - "That's what you'd say if you weren't sick. I'd like to think I'm quite useful. What's your conclusion on this statement, ma'am?" "That it's fucking sad." - You nodded to yourself, turning around to walk towards your bed. Slowly, you made sure you'd before you started to take your pants off. - "That fact that you have to make my own jokes for me? Blasphemy. What am I here for if you can't even joke around with me? You can talk to yourself at this point."

"Nonsense." - The man shut down immediately, watching as you started to tuck under the blanket. - "None of the jokes come across as good when you're not the one saying them. You're the funniest person I've met." - Now, you gave Ghost a smug smile - with a grunt, you laid on your back and let him help with tucking you in. "Ha, suck it, Johnny! I fucking knew it." "Don't you blow my cover, deal, ma'am?" "I wouldn't do that, sir. If you'd like to hang around for a bit, it's fine with me. Do whatever you'd like, eat whatever you find, make yourself some coffee... I'd... Feel safer, knowing I'm not alone in here. If you'd like to order a take-out, just take some of my money, I owe you one." "As you wish, Y/N - about the last part, however, negative." - Simon whispered, smoothing your forehead for the last time. - "I'll take care of everything, okay? Don't you worry." "Sounds good, Ghost. Thank you."

As Simon promised, he set out to do - he started by creating an extensive shopping list of everything you might need to recover from your illness... And dear fucking Jesus, there wasn't anything inside the cupboards, the fridge and the pantry sure had seen better days as well. You clearly weren't joking when you said you hit a rough patch. A lot of daily necessities were seemingly missing, ranging from tea, painkillers, and cough syrup all the way to ingredients for cooking a simple meal. Or it was caused by Simon's routines - most of the things he considered daily necessities didn't necessarily have to be on your list.

When the list was completed, Simon kneeled in your hall and clicked his tongue a few times - the furry ball of love was running to him in an instant, holding the edge of a small blanket for babies between her fangs, as if she wanted to show it to him. It looked like Bonnie was particularly fond of this piece of cloth. "Oh, that's just wonderful, babes, is that yours?" - The man murmured, melting at the sight of Bonnie as he petted her gently. His brain was just starting to get a grip - he was inside your flat with you sleeping in the next room. It was easy to let his mind wander a bit, to imagine he'd be putting his shoes in the same shoe rack, hanging his jackets on the same hanger, and sitting beside you on your small sofa with a floral pattern. - "What about a walk, huh? A lass like you needs a long stretch, doesn't she?"

Five minutes later, with your keys attached to his keychain, the duo stepped into the London wilderness. He'd been well-travelled when it came to London, but your part of town was a mystery to him. Finding a fucking supermarket was hard enough, let alone the fucking drug store. As Simon recited everything he deemed necessary to the pharmacist, her expression was becoming more and more stoic the longer the interaction went on. Simon could see the situation being a bit humorous - a 6'3 man with baklava hiding holding a puppy in one of his arms while simultaneously holding three paper bags coming from a nearby supermarket in the other, buying almost two other bags of various medical stuff. The lady, her name was Marianne, was close to asking Simon what the fuck does he need all this for, but she decided against it in the end. After getting Bonnie a cup of her own ice cream (she went crazy for it, seemingly not tasting it until that day), the duo set on their way home. Simon brought you enough tea for an entire month, fresh pastries, butter he deemed the best, a load of permanent food (canned beans were just the beginning) and some veggies, fruits and other goods he was pretty sure you'd find use for. Your lunch breaks gave him a good idea about what you liked concerning food.

When the two arrived back at the flat, it was silent and dark - only your light snoring gave away that someone was inside. - "How about you run off while I clean up and cook something for mummy, hm?" - Simon whispered to Bonnie while letting her off the leash, watching as she ran straight for her blanket, jumping on the sofa right after. Due to her constant whimpering and her attempts to give Simon the remote, he concluded she'd like to watch something. So Bonnie was into TV, huh? He'd never figure this out on his own. Letting music play silently in the background, Simon started preparing the kitchen so he'd have somewhere to cook his famous veggie broth. In this process alone, he completely reorganised it, making sure everything was easily visible and accessible, and clean as if you just brought it home from the convenience store. Simultaneously, he started preparing you a cup of hot tea and the mentioned coughing syrup, because the longer he'd been in the flat, the more coughing came from behind the closed door. And it didn't sound good at all.

Coming into your room, your back was to be turned to the door. It was hard to say, honestly - you seemingly disappeared inside your enormous bed, hiding under an even bigger, thick blanket. Carefully, Simon set the cup on your night table along with the dose of syrup, sitting on the bed with utmost caution. You didn't seem to notice him, dead asleep. Carefully, Simon stuck his palm under the blanket so smooth your shoulder, making you moan with displeasure - goosebumps immediately formed on your skin, informing Simon that the painkiller might've lowered the fever, but you still had chills. "Hey there, sleepyhead... Delivery service. It'll be just a moment and then I'll fuck off, promise." - Ghost whispered, waiting for you to lay down on your back before carefully helping you to sit up.

"What time is it?" - You wondered, accepting the warm tea from Simon. It wasn't boiling hot anymore but it wasn't ice cold either, it was just the right temperature for you to drink half a cuppa in one go. "Still pretty early, you can sleep after you take some of this." - Ghost smiled with his eyes, shaking the small plastic cup of syrup in front of your eyes. "Where did... Where did you get all this? I specifically remember telling you I'm out of tea... And I know I checked for cough syrup yesterday." "Bonnie really wanted to go out for a walk, so we stopped by a few shops, nothing grand." "And what's that wonderful smell?" - You pushed on relentlessly, eyeing Ghost with raising suspicion. "Vegetable broth." "Ghost!" - You squealed, but regretted it very soon - with silent cusses, you started to massage your throat. - "Did you at least take my wallet to pay for my fucking purchases?" "Wanna know the total?" "So you didn't, fucking amazing. Also - yea? Of course, let me pay you right back." "It's precisely... Don't worry about it. It's my treat. How did you phrase it? I don't want a single dime." "Are you insane?" "Been told I am." - Ghost snickered, ending the discussion. - "I gotta go check on how's the broth doing, I'll bring you a bowl when it's done, yeah?" "Fine, wacko. Thank you so much for doing... All of this for me. I can't appreciate it enough." "It's nothing, stinky face. Rest up." "And Ghost?" - You called out just before Simon walked out of the door, so he held it open to hear whatever else you had on your mind. - "I love this song, could you leave the door ajar for me? I'm sure Bonnie loves it too. Pretty sure it's on top of the list of our favourites."

Simon didn't answer your request, he just did as you asked him to. After checking on the broth, he wandered around the flat for a bit before mindlessly starting to clean up. Not that he'd find the flat dirty, it was pretty tidy actually, but he wanted to kill time somehow. In the process of folding clothes laying around into stacks (the military was to be blamed for that), including your fucking coat for some reason. He'd changed all the burned-out candles, done the dishes and started to put all the groceries where they seemingly belonged. After he was done with being the housewife, Simon started picking various books and other items lying around and did his best to put them in their place - books into the bookshelves, leaving various papers and documents lying on the coffee table for you to sort out.

After this, there were truly no chores to perform. The broth still had ten minutes to go and no matter how much Simon tried to resist, he couldn't but snoop around a bit. He went over the photos on your fridge - most of them seemed to be taken when you were out with your friends or family, having you smile at the camera or perform various grimaces, making the others either do the same or laugh happily. There was an old photo of you way back when - it had to be the yearbook photo because while you tried your best to smile, it was painfully obvious you were uncomfortable. There was one under the fridge, Simon noticed on accident, basically - as he bent to pick it up, the expression on his face froze.

It was the guy. The guy he tailed a month ago with his arm over your shoulder. You, seemingly enjoying the moment, were kissing the guy's cheek, your palm splayed all over his chest - one of the easiest ways to spot a dating couple based on picture only. As he turned it around, there was just a simple sentence handwritten in the corner - Billy and I, spring of '23. Simon's footing seemed to be unsteady all of a sudden. Was Billy your boyfriend, then? If he was, the two of you didn't seem to live together. Why was the heated argument in Rosemary's about? Maybe you've broke up recently and Billy was trying to weasel back into your life? Could this be the reason? If you had a sentimental attachment to Billy, though, you'd notice a photo of your sweetheart missing on the fridge. The photo wouldn't be lying under it, between all the dust and other mess that generally gathered in the kitchen, would it? As Simon tried to figure out what to do with the photo, his eyes wandered back to all the disorganized papers he found lying all over the flat.

There was an envelope - it wasn't big, presumably just normal mail. And the sender was named Wiliam. Could these two be connected? Could that be the same person? Against his better judgment, Simon pulled the letter out to read what this William guy wanted from you. Each word made his eyes widen and each line edged Simon to break something. By the time he was done reading the letter, he was nodding to himself, doing his best to keep on biting the inner side of his cheek. If he was connecting the dots correctly, Billy was definitely William. And William was a piece of shit. The throwaway line was starting to make a whole fucking more sense - she is a good judge of character, better than her mum anyways... What was apparent from the letter was that the two of you broke up some time ago - and Billy wasn't taking it well. That son of a whore called you so many names in the letter it was almost impressive - but he also belittled you, made sure you know how much of scum and whore you are to him and in the end asked to see you again. Well, it wasn't a request, came off as an order in Ghost's opinion. And well, as they say, and as far as Ghost could assume - it never takes too much from mental abuse to slip into physical. Based on the letter's stamp, it came three days ago. Billy wasn't done with you, it seemed - this man couldn't seemingly forget about you, in fact.

Ghost was standing in the middle of your living room, trying to keep his shit together. As Ghost once said to Johnny - choices have consequences. And Billy made a hell of a choice. Now, he regretted his decision to leave Billy off the hook. Simon should've tailed him longer. He should've got on the fucking bus with him and made sure to question him regarding you. Maybe pack a few good punches here and there, beating the everliving shit out of him as a warning of what's to come next if Billy even considers coming near you. It took all his will to put the letter and the photo on your coffee table and fish out his phone - Ghost wasn't too far from waking you up, asking you about Billy's address.

"Hey, Si, is everything okay?" - A familiar female voice answered as soon as the call connected. "Hey, Cass. Hope I haven't called at a bad time." "Not at all. Do you need anything? Did the debriefing go bad? Johnny said you aced it - like you always do." "Went as it usually does, you know the drill. Got a favour to ask you." "All ears, Si." - Cassie confirmed, officially stopping doing whatever she was paying attention to. "Y/N's really sick, so I helped her to get home from work - but I gotta be somewhere soon. Would you look after her for the night? I'd assume she's gonna be better tomorrow." - Simon explained, lying as if there was no tomorrow. He had to leave the flat, no matter how much he wanted to stay. It will be best if he just goes to a pub, sedating all the feelings with alcohol.

"Y/N? Which Y/N?" - Cassie asked, doing her best impression of playing dumb. She was trying to pretend you didn't try to find out everything you could Simon on your hangout two weeks ago. "Miss florist." "Oh! Do you two know each other? What a small world." "I'd like to tell you this story some other time. Can I count on you?" "Yes, Si, I'll look after her. I'll be there in ten, just wait for me, okay?" "Thank you, Cass. I owe you one." "Not a chance."

[duskandstarlight]

Ill Cassy boy wip thingy 🥺

Poor ill baby bat boy ❤️

Notes: This is set in an AU E&L where Nesta and Cassian are back for a visit in Velaris. Cassian still doesn’t sleep from nightmares and Nesta and Cassian are growing closer. They share a bed but don’t do anything naughty. Cassian is letting Nesta go at her own pace...

They were supposed to go out for Mor’s birthday but Cassian was so exhausted he fell asleep on the couch in the river house...

“Leave him.”

“How long has Cassian not been sleeping properly?”

Rhys’s violet eyes trained on Nesta. The rest of the room followed, but Nesta only straightened.

“Since the war.”

Rhys’ expression turned grim.

“He’s having a bad spell. He insists on getting up early to train all of you, but he needs to sleep.”

“Never wake a sleeping Illyrian,” Rhys warned Nesta, as if he sensed what she intended to do.

Nesta’s snort was soft. She walked over to where Cassian was and reached inside of her. She tugged gently on that bond at the same time as she soothed.

Cassian’s eyelids fluttered open unwillingly, as if the mating bond took priority but his body was too desperate for sleep to do it properly.

It took himself a moment to ensure Nesta was unharmed and a few more movements to realise where he was and who was there.

His groan was cut off with a yawn.

“Go to bed, you’re exhausted,” Rhys told his friend from where he stood at the mantle piece.

Cassian rubbed his eyes and craned his neck to look at his friends. “How long was I out?”

“Six hours,” Azriel told his brother quietly.

Grimacing, Cassian sat up and stretched his stiff wings. “Sorry Mor, we can celebrate another night.”

“Don’t worry, Cass,” Mor told him, a look of concern on her face. “I drank enough for the both of us anyway.”

A noise caught in Cassian’s throat which suggested he wasn’t surprised.

“No training tomorrow. You’re officially off duty for the rest of the week,” Rhys said, clapping his brother on the shoulder. “Now go to bed.”

To Nesta’s amazement Cassian didn’t protest, he just mumbled goodnight and disappeared.

“He’s making himself sick.” Rhys turned to Nesta. “Should I sign him off duty for more than a week? Two?”

Nesta snorted again. “Good luck.”

[izzyfromdeadspace]

Cassie knew the day was going to be hard on them. Therapy was never easy and those two had more skeletons in their closets then anyone she knew. So she did her best to comfort them both before they went in and after they came out. Izzy looked shell shocked and L just seemed lost within himself when she loaded them up into the car. The drive home was spent in silence as she knew they'd need time to decompress and just try to settle their brains down. So when she got home she helped unpack them and get them to the living room to cuddle on the couch. It seemed she always found them wrapped up in each other which made her wonder just how deep the soulmate bond really was. But she couldn't think too hard because it left a hollow ache in her chest.

"Imma make dinner. You two jus watch a movie an relax." She turned the TV onto the cooking channel so they wouldn't get startled before heading into the kitchen. With a sigh she began whipping up something good for them all. She figured they'd need something easy to chew tonight as they'd both had their jaws clenched so fucking tight they'd probably have a headache soon. So she started a nice cream based soup with plenty of veggies and some meat for flavor. Humming softly she whipped it up in no time and set the table before going to collect them. "A'ight ya love buns c'mon and eat. Gotta keep them bodies strong."

@a-drop-of-nightshade / @this-is-how-villains-are-made

Izzy had heard about soulmates from a book she'd found in the library but she knew it had to be bullshit. After years of being trapped and fighting for her life she figured that anyone meant for her was probably either dead or wanted to kill her. She'd been all but killed when she'd been torn in half a few months back. But somehow she'd drug her body to a medical center and gotten pieced back together.

Tracing some of her scars she frowned and mused what life might be like if things were real. Would she even want to meet someone who'd suffered due to her? Would they see her as a monster? What if she never escaped and just died alone? Would they feel relief? So many questions filled her head that she couldn't sleep yet again.